Counting the Cost
by FleurHartz
Summary: ch 16 up-AU S3- When Jack is faced with his daughter's impending death, he knows there's only one person who can help him. Nina Myers.
1. Leaving It All Behind

A/N- This is an AU fanfic set in Season Three- the only big change you need to know before starting is that Nina didn't die- she escaped. And with that- away we go!  
  
COUNTING THE COST  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter One  
  
Leave It All Behind  
  
~*~  
  
Jack Bauer sat with his head in his hands. He felt like he'd been in this position so many times before- wracked with worry, sick with guilt, feeling helpless.  
  
  
  
He looked at his beautiful daughter, cut off from him by sheets of plastic to protect him from contamination. She was going to die. The virus was going to kill her. And he had absolutely no control over that. Jack was used to feeling capable, not completely and totally useless as he watched her life slip away.  
  
  
  
Damn CTU. Damn them to hell. Damn Chase and Tony and the rest of them. Chase had been on the team that had been sent to the hotel to contain the virus. They'd lost contact. Kim, in a fit of exhaustion and nerves, had gone with three other agents to discover the fate of the containment team.  
  
  
  
She had been exposed. She was slipping away from Jack and he was watching it happen. He couldn't take this. No one could help him. The President was not the omniscient savior the country pictured him as. He had no answers. He couldn't bear to return to CTU and pledge his allegiance to a group of people who had sentenced his daughter to death.   
  
  
  
Jack had never felt so isolated. Kim was his lifeline, the only thing that made him feel connected to anything.   
  
  
  
And he was going to lose her. There was no one left. There was no answer to the problem.   
  
  
  
In this darkest hour, in this lowest moment, one strange, clouded image tore through Jack's mind with a flash of insight. One that he strangely couldn't shake.   
  
  
  
Jack took one last, long look at Kim.  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. There's no other way." He practically whispered, walking out of the room and into a dark, cloudless night.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Nina Myers sat in the dilapidated hotel room, stepping out of the shower.  
  
  
  
"Too bad fugitives don't get shower shoes." She said under her breath, getting dressed.  
  
  
  
It had been three days since she'd escaped from CTU. She still wasn't back to full strength and the puncture wound in her neck was still throbbing like a bitch, but she was getting by.  
  
  
  
Now the only problem that seemed to present itself to her was simply- what now? So she got away again- did it really even matter? What was she running to? No one. Nothing. Just herself alone in a hotel room with bad lighting and a dripping faucet. Not quite the life she'd imagined from a life of crime. Criminals are supposed to be rich, untouchable, and all knowing.  
  
  
  
She had no money and no idea what to do with herself. How painfully ironic.  
  
  
  
The life she'd given up everything for now left her with nothing.  
  
  
  
Nina flipped on the static-ridden television, sitting on the squeaking mattress and sighing heavily.   
  
  
  
Suddenly, her cell phone rang. She had just managed to steal it back before her exodus from CTU in case any of her contacts knew of any new jobs. They were the only ones with this number. Elated at the idea of something to do, Nina answered it without even looking at the number.  
  
  
  
"Hello?"   
  
  
  
"Nina."   
  
  
  
Nina's almost dropped the phone in shock. She would know that voice anywhere.   
  
  
  
"How the hell did you get this number?" It was the only response she could form at the moment.  
  
  
  
"I need your help."  
  
  
  
"Jack…what is this about?"  
  
  
  
"It's Kim."  
  
  
  
Of course, Nina thought to herself.  
  
  
  
"She's infected," Jack's voice broke slightly, "…with the virus. She's dying."  
  
  
  
"And what exactly do you expect me to do about that?"  
  
  
  
"Please…you have to know something. There must be some kind of antidote." Jack had never pleaded with her before.  
  
  
  
"Jack, you and I should know better than anyone, that for every one thing, there is an opposite equal."  
  
  
  
"So you do know something?"   
  
  
  
"What's it worth to you?" Nina countered.  
  
  
  
"Damn it, Nina, I don't have time for this! Will you help me or not?" Jack yelled into the phone.  
  
  
  
Nina couldn't help but shiver slightly. Something about Jack when he was angry always made her hot and bothered.  
  
  
  
"I'll help you. Which I'll probably regret when you sell me out to CTU."  
  
  
  
"Nina, I'm not ever working with those people again."  
  
  
  
"Hmm…this sounds familiar." Nina said skeptically.  
  
  
  
"I promise you. That part of my life is over. All I want to do is save my daughter."  
  
  
  
"Since when have your promises meant anything?" Nina couldn't help but say, her voice heavy with spite.  
  
  
  
"I don't know what else I can say. Except that I need you."  
  
  
  
Nina swallowed hard. Damn it. Her life would be so much less complicated if she could see Jack with the same ambivalence as she viewed everyone else. But she couldn't.  
  
  
  
"I need to talk to you in person." She replied finally.  
  
  
  
"Where?"  
  
  
  
Nina told him the address, hoping this line was still secure.  
  
  
  
"Fine, I'll be there."  
  
  
  
"Jack?"  
  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
"You owe me."  
  
  
  
"I don't owe you anything." Jack practically growled into the phone, hanging up abruptly.  
  
~*~  
  
A/N- Please review! Hope you enjoyed- part two to come shortly! 


	2. Forging a New Alliance

Disclaimer- I forgot this the first time. Oops! 24 and Kiefer (unfortunately) is not mine. Enjoy!  
  
Counting the Cost  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Forging a New Alliance  
  
~*~  
  
Jack parked his car in the dimly lit parking lot. He kept waiting for a feeling of foreboding, but it never came. He knew this was his only choice. And Jack was the kind of man who refused to see a solution and not take it.  
  
  
  
He was doing the right thing. He was doing the only thing he could. He kept telling himself that as he slowly walked towards Room 312. The image of Kim in his mind cemented his resolve, and he knocked twice on the door.  
  
  
  
Nina answered the door in a black wife beater and black underwear.  
  
  
  
Jack blinked, looking at her for some explanation.  
  
  
  
"You're early." She shrugged, with a slight, sly smile that irritated him.  
  
  
  
Jack still didn't say anything.  
  
  
  
"Come in."  
  
  
  
Jack closed the door behind him as Nina finished getting dressed.  
  
  
  
"Before we get started," she perched on the edge of the bed as he sat in the nearby chair, "I need to make sure I can trust you."  
  
  
  
Visions of what had happened in Mexico flashed unbidden through Jack's mind.  
  
  
  
"Nina, I don't think-"  
  
  
  
"Don't worry, Jack. No more pity make-out sessions. I wouldn't torture you like that." She said sarcastically.  
  
  
  
"What do you want me to do?"  
  
  
  
"Take off your shirt." Nina said with perfect seriousness.  
  
  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
  
  
"If you're bugged, I really don't feel like telling you anything."  
  
  
  
Jack sighed, unbuttoning his shirt and tossing it on the ground. Nina smiled that same strange smile again.  
  
  
  
"You look good, Jack." She grinned slightly, noticeably looking him up and down.  
  
  
  
Jack looked at her steadily.  
  
  
  
"Now do you believe me?"  
  
  
  
"Almost." She stood up, stepping well into his personal space.  
  
  
  
"Nina, I don't have time for this."  
  
  
  
"Well, you're not really the one with the information here, so I'd say it's pretty much my decision how this goes." She grinned.  
  
  
  
"Fine. What now?"  
  
  
  
Nina felt him for weapons, and nodded in approval when she was done.  
  
  
  
"So you're not packing. That doesn't seem very Jack-like."   
  
  
  
"I'm telling the truth about CTU, Nina. They sentenced Kim to death. I can't work for a government that would allow that."  
  
  
  
She looked at him carefully.  
  
  
  
"But you can work with the woman who killed your wife?"  
  
  
  
Jack looked down for a moment.  
  
  
  
"If necessary. I'll do anything for my daughter."  
  
  
  
"Aww, how touching." Nina said sarcastically, patting him on the arm and sitting back on the bed.  
  
  
  
"Nina, please, I really don't have time to waste here."  
  
  
  
"Well, Jack, it's not like I just have the antidote hidden in my bra or anything. It's going to take some work to get it."  
  
  
  
"How long will it take?" Jack asked her, sitting down again.  
  
  
  
"Maybe a week. Maybe a month. It's contingent on a lot of things that neither of us have any control over. Something important though- do you still have CTU access privileges?"   
  
  
  
"Yes. I never officially resigned, so as far as they know, I'm still an employee."  
  
  
  
"Well, that's good. We know CTU's not that efficient at catching moles," Nina smiled wryly, "So I'm sure it will be no problem to lift some information through your server about the virus."  
  
  
  
Jack ignored the dig about his ignorance of her when she was his partner.  
  
  
  
"I'm sure it won't be a problem."  
  
  
  
"Good. Tomorrow morning, get all the information you can before they realize you're there."  
  
  
  
"About what?"  
  
  
  
"About a woman. Amanda Williams."  
  
  
  
Jack looked at her in shock.  
  
  
  
"The woman who tried to kill the president?" Jack said, remembering Palmer's suspicions about the beautiful woman who had nearly killed him by shaking his hand. Many people had come in contact with the President, so he couldn't be certain, but he distinctly told Jack a description that matched Amanda Williams, a seeming criminal for hire who was willing to do anything for a little cash.  
  
  
  
"That was always just your theory, Jack. And she's innocent until proven guilty in my opinion. But anyway- she has quite a criminal record on her, as I'm sure you remember from her destruction of the aircraft. But right now, she's just as free as I am, just much busier. She and Amador were close. I believe he told her the location of the antidote. We find her, we find the antidote."  
  
  
  
Jack looked skeptical.  
  
  
  
"So all you've basically got is a hunch?"  
  
  
  
Nina raised her eyebrows.  
  
  
  
"Oh, what leads do you have, Jack? Please, enlighten me."  
  
  
  
"Fine. Amanda Williams. I'll bring any information I find tomorrow."  
  
  
  
Nina smiled sweetly, but with a slight derisiveness.   
  
  
  
"I can hardly wait."  
  
  
  
They sat there in silence for a moment. Jack looked at her, stretched out on the bed, her long dark hair drying in loose curls, her stomach showing slightly as she put both hands behind her head.  
  
  
  
"I thought you were leaving." She finally broke the silence, snapping Jack out of a very strange trance that terrified him with its implications.  
  
  
  
"Thank you for your assistance." Jack said in his most businesslike voice, going to leave.  
  
  
  
"Anytime, Agent Bauer," Nina saluted him, speaking in a voice mockingly reminiscent of his own.  
  
  
  
"I'm not Agent Bauer. I'm never going to be again."  
  
  
  
Nina looked up at him.  
  
  
  
"If I find out you're lying to me, I'm gone. And you lose any chance of finding an antidote for your precious daughter."  
  
  
  
"I know that. I'll be back tomorrow."  
  
  
  
"I'm counting the hours. Good-bye, Jack."  
  
  
  
Jack nodded, stepping out of the hotel room brusquely and closing the door behind him.  
  
~*~  
  
A/N- Until Ch. 3! Please review! 


	3. Opening Old Wounds

A/N- Thanks for the reviews guys! Keep 'em coming! Usual disclaimers apply.  
  
Counting the Cost  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Three  
  
Opening Old Wounds  
  
~*~  
  
Jack walked into the CTU office through the backdoor, in full stealth mode. He could not afford to have anyone asking him questions about Kim- he knew without a doubt that he could not stop himself from hitting them in the face.  
  
He reached the first empty room with a usable computer, quietly closed the door behind him. The room was pretty shabby, and had never been restored after the bombing, but that was fine- there were no cameras.  
  
  
  
Jack quickly signed in on the computer, praying no one was monitoring this. He quickly cross-referenced everything on Amanda Williams, printing it on the somewhat out of date printer.  
  
  
  
"Come on…" Jack muttered under his breath as it took what seemed like five hours to print out the information.  
  
  
  
Finally, it was done. Sighing with relief, he tucked it in a folder and under his jacket, hastily stepping to the door and opening it.  
  
  
  
"Jack. You're here, everyone's been so worried." Michelle Dessler stood on the other side of the door, smiling warmly.  
  
  
  
Jack merely nodded, stepping by her.  
  
  
  
"Jack!" She looked at him, confused.  
  
  
  
"Look, Michelle, I'm kind of in the middle of something."  
  
  
  
"What could you possibly be in the middle of? You haven't come to work in days." Her eyebrows went together, perplexed.  
  
  
  
"I'm not at liberty to discuss that with you right now." Jack said curtly, heading towards the end of the hallway towards the door.  
  
  
  
"Jack, what the hell?" Her usually sweet voice suddenly sounded angry.  
  
  
  
"Just leave it alone, Michelle!" He yelled back.  
  
  
  
"Is this about Kim?" She asked gently.  
  
  
  
Jack clenched his fists, anger boiling within him like he had never known. He looked at her steely yet innocent face, wanting so badly to hit something that it was making him shake slightly.  
  
  
  
"Don't…you ever pretend like you care about my daughter. Or me, for that matter." Jack said, in a dangerous whisper, turning and slamming the back door behind him.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
After checking on Kim at the hospital, who was still stable but showing more side effects of the virus, Jack went to the hotel room, feeling disheartened and not really in the mood to deal with Nina right now.  
  
  
  
But she could help him. He couldn't risk Kim's life by trying to do this by himself. As twisted as Nina's mind was, Jack knew for a fact that she had been the smartest agent, man or woman, that he had ever come in contact with at CTU. And she'd help him. He knew she would. So he had to put his own personal feelings about her aside.  
  
  
  
He knocked on the door, taking a deep breath.  
  
  
  
"It's open." He heard her familiar voice say.  
  
  
  
Jack stepped through it onto the dusty carpet, isolated rays of sunlight cutting through the blinds. Nina was on the floor, doing sit ups while she watched TV.  
  
  
  
"I got the information." Jack said, sitting back down in the same chair he had previously.  
  
  
  
"Anyone see you?" Nina asked, getting to her feet and crossing her arms.  
  
  
  
"Just Michelle."  
  
  
  
"Who?"  
  
  
  
"Michelle Dessler. Your replacement. Married to Tony." Jack explained flippantly.  
  
  
  
"Huh. Was she suspicious?"   
  
  
  
"No, not really. Everyone's pretty used to me acting strangely."  
  
  
  
"Well, that's good. I'm sure she and Tony's marriage is a real meeting of the minds then." Nina laughed derisively, sitting down on the edge of the bed.  
  
  
  
"You dated him." Jack pointed out.  
  
  
  
"Hey, he was there and available and I wanted to piss you off."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, Jack, I was feeling a little bitter towards you at the moment after you rather abruptly kicked me to the curb." Nina said, her voice laced with bitterness.  
  
  
  
Jack looked up at her.  
  
  
  
Nina cleared her throat, looking slightly uncomfortable.  
  
  
  
"So, what'd you find out?" She said, quickly changing the subject.  
  
  
  
"Amanda William's last known job was-"  
  
  
  
"In London. I know that. That's how she met Amador."  
  
  
  
"Are they involved?"  
  
  
  
"I don't know," Nina sighed impatiently, "They're both attractive and working together. I would assume so."   
  
  
  
"All right, well, it had some details about her previous jobs as well-"  
  
  
  
"Well, way to go CTU. None of that matters. We need to know what she's doing now." Nina said edgily.  
  
  
  
"I was getting to that." Jack said, his voice heavy with irritation as well.  
  
  
  
"Please continue." She smiled falsely.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Nina and Jack had spent the rest of the day looking at her recent appearances, trying to spot patterns in her previous migrations, looking for character clues, hometowns, connections that would lead to her current location.   
  
  
  
Evening fell outside the hotel room as the clouds grew heavy with rain. They both sat on the floor, all the files spread out between them.  
  
  
  
"Well, we know Amador got the virus in L.A. Isn't it safe to assume he'd want to see his success without being in actual danger from it?" Nina pointed out, yawning.  
  
  
  
"So you think they're in California?"  
  
  
  
"It's just a theory."  
  
  
  
"No, you might be on to something. Is there anyway you could contact either of them?"  
  
  
  
"Not Amanda. I never really knew her that well. I have an secure e-mail of Amador's, but it might be an invalid account now."  
  
  
  
"Try it."  
  
  
  
"With what? I don't have a computer."  
  
  
  
"I have my laptop." Jack pulled it out of his briefcase.  
  
  
  
"Such a Boy Scout." Nina smiled, turning it on.  
  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
"Always prepared." She said, the light of the computer screen reflecting in her eyes.  
  
"Hardly." Jack looked at her perceptibly.  
  
  
  
Nina sighed, typing at her computer with unnecessary force as she wrote the e-mail.  
  
  
  
"Look, Jack, we can't do this."  
  
  
  
"What?" He looked surprised.  
  
  
  
"If we're going to work together, we can't keep ignoring the history between us. It's driving me crazy trying to dance around it. And I know it's bothering you."  
  
"It's not bothering me."  
  
  
  
"You're lying." Nina slammed the computer shut after she finished.  
  
  
  
"I'm not."  
  
  
  
"Well, we could go on all night like this, but you are. So you know what, Jack?"  
  
  
  
"What?" Jack sighed.  
  
"Ask me anything. Anything you still wonder about, anything you still don't understand about what happened. And I get to do the same."  
  
  
  
"We don't have time for this. We have to find the antidote."   
  
  
  
"It'll be awhile before he contacts me, and that's the only lead we have right now. Face it, Jack, we've got some time to kill. It's not like anyone's waiting up on you." She said bitingly.  
  
  
  
Jack looked at her, filled with a feeling of dread but having to admit that he was very curious to finally gather some insight into the mind of Nina Myers. She had always been a beautiful, impassable mystery, even while they were dating. She was smart, she was funny, she was passionate when the moments came, but Jack could never even really tell how she felt about anything. Even when he'd ended things with her, she acted as if he'd just told her to refill the ink in the copier.   
  
  
  
And here she was, finally presenting him the opportunity to ask all the questions that had always plagued him.   
  
  
  
"Fine." He said at last.  
  
  
  
"Good." Nina nodded  
  
  
  
"You go first." Jack looked at her, very interested in seeing what she'd ask as well.  
  
  
  
Nina took a deep breath.  
  
  
  
"All right," she looked down in thought for a moment, then met his piercing blue eyes again, "Why did you leave me and go back to her?"   
  
~*~  
  
A/N- Please review! More to come soon! 


	4. Remember When

A/N- Thanks for the reviews everyone! Oh, and to the reviewer who said that it seemed out of character for Jack to agree to the little Q&A with Nina, I figured that Jack has proved countless times in the past that he will do ANYTHING where his family's involved. If Nina can help save Kim, Jack would pretty much go along with anything. So that was my explanation- take it or leave it.   
  
Disclaimer- All things 24 belong to Fox. The song lyrics belong to Story of the Year, and the song is "Until the Day I Die", an awesome song I will most likely be referencing often throughout this fanfic.  
  
Counting the Cost  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Four  
  
Remember When  
  
~*~  
  
*my hands are at your throat and I think I hate you  
  
but then we'll say "remember when?" just like we always do*  
  
  
  
Jack looked at Nina in shock. He swallowed hard, shocked at how suddenly vulnerable she was making herself.   
  
  
  
"Answer me, Jack." She broke the silence.  
  
  
  
"I'm surprised you even care about the reasons." He finally replied.  
  
  
  
"Oh, really?" Nina laughed harshly.  
  
  
  
"Yes. When I…ended things with you, I don't know what I thought you would do, but you just nodding and walking out of my apartment was definitely not what I was expecting. The next day at work you acted like nothing had ever been different between us. What was I supposed to think?"  
  
  
  
"You don't think I cared at all? Seven years of being friends and you don't think you mattered to me?" Nina looked at him with disbelief.  
  
  
  
"No…I mean, I figured you just counted it as some meaningless fling that seems to happen every time men and women try to be friends."  
  
  
  
Nina met his gaze unblinkingly.  
  
  
  
"Well, I didn't. Now answer the damn question."  
  
  
  
"I went back to Teri because…isn't it obvious, Nina? We had Kim, we were still married…"  
  
  
  
"Stop stalling. Tell me the real reason."  
  
  
  
"I'm not stalling! It didn't have anything to do with you." Jack said, getting angry.  
  
  
  
"So I was just some distraction to screw while you waited for your wife to forgive you?" Nina's green eyes glinted slightly with rage.  
  
  
  
"No."  
  
  
  
"Then what, Jack? What was that? Why did you even start anything between us if you knew all along you were going to leave me?" Nina's voice broke slightly.   
  
It didn't sound like she was going to cry-it just sounded like for the first time in years, she was tapping into some emotional chasm buried for so long under a diamond-hard exterior, and it was hitting her a lot harder than she thought it would.  
  
Jack looked at her for a long time before speaking.  
  
"Because I wanted you. I wanted it to happen. I didn't really think about the consequences. And I definitely didn't think it actually mattered to you."  
  
"Oh, I'm just the office whore, right? Go ahead! She has no feelings! She won't care if you never call or if you go back to your shrill, obnoxious wife, as long as you make out with her in an empty conference room every once in awhile, right? Wow, Jack. You really make a girl feel loved."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me you felt this way?"  
  
"Why would I? So you could pat me on the head and feel sorry for me and the whole office would think I was Jack's little bitch? No, thanks."  
  
"Nina-"  
  
"Forget it. I'm sick of trying to let myself believe a word you say. Just drop it."  
  
But Jack couldn't drop it. He looked at her with stunned realization.  
  
"Nina- were you…in love with me?"  
  
"Is that your question you want me to answer?"  
  
"One of them."  
  
Nina, regaining her composure, smiled that same, smirking grin again.  
  
"Pick your favorite."  
  
Jack thought for a long moment.  
  
"All right-what made you do this? What made you betray CTU?"  
  
Nina's smile grew. That question was easy.  
  
"Bored and under appreciated, Jack. It can make a girl crazy."  
  
"That's all. That's all it took to make you forsake everything…the country you were raised in? That you swore to protect?"  
  
"Oh, Jack, you're breaking my heart. Yes. That's all it took."  
  
"But what about the people? You betrayed all of us..."  
  
"What you're really asking is why I betrayed you, yes?"  
  
"No, I'm not just talking ab-"  
  
"Yes, you are."  
  
"Fine. Why did you betray me?"  
  
Nina met Jack's eyes, commencing a stare down that lasted for what seemed like an eternity.   
  
"I bet you're just praying I say it's because I was so in love with you that when you left me, it made me go crazy. That puts you back in control, and makes me play the pathetic idiot. Again."  
  
"Why did you betray me?" Jack repeated.  
  
The computer beeped then, signaling a new incoming message.  
  
"Oh no, Jack. I guess this will just have to wait." Nina looked at him coolly, opening the laptop.  
  
Jack came to look over her shoulder, as she pulled up the message from Amador.  
  
  
  
They both read it quickly; then looked at each other.  
  
  
  
"We'll leave tomorrow for England. I need to go get my passport, book the flight, and pack some clothes." Jack said, grabbing his jacket and going to leave.  
  
  
  
"Jack-while you're at it, grab me some clothes please?"  
  
  
  
"From where?"  
  
  
  
"I don't know, Jack, get creative. Kim's closet. Whatever. I don't care."  
  
  
  
"I'm not giving you my daughter's clothes."  
  
  
  
"Well, if you don't, she might not be needing them long." Nina challenged.  
  
  
  
Jack sighed.  
  
  
  
"I'll be here in the morning," Nina looked at him expectantly, "…with clothes for you."  
  
  
  
"Good. Drive safely." Nina stretched back out on the bed as he left.  
  
  
  
As the door slammed behind him, she turned off the lamp, feeling suddenly very listless and upset. What a bastard. George and Roberta had been right. She had been an idiot for getting involved with him, and it made her hate herself to remember how completely beleaguered with her feelings she'd been, though she managed to play it off quite convincingly, apparently.  
  
She closed her eyes against the darkness, remembering the day between them that had changed everything. It seemed impossibly far away from her now, but as the memories rushed back, the feelings she had felt then bombarded her once again.   
  
***five years ago…***  
  
  
  
"Oh, I just love meetings like that. You're all worthless agents, you should all be fired for your incompetence, but…please help us?" Nina said, in a very funny impression of Chapelle, as she and Jack walked to their cars after work.  
  
  
  
Jack didn't say anything, looking lost in thought.  
  
  
  
"Jack? What is wrong with you today?" She looked at him, concerned.  
  
  
  
"What? Oh, nothing. Just family stuff…you know how it is."  
  
  
  
"No, actually I don't." Nina said a little coldly.  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry, Nina. It's just…Teri and I…" Jack ran a hand through his blond hair, shaking his head.  
  
  
  
Nina waited.  
  
  
  
"Uh, Jack? Was that story over?" She smiled, trying to lighten the mood.  
  
  
  
"No, no, it's just…a long, uninteresting story. We're kind of separated right now…I think she wants a divorce…it's just a mess." Jack closed his eyes, looking exhausted.  
  
  
  
"Sounds like it." Nina said sympathetically, as they reached their parking spaces.  
  
  
  
"Trust me, don't get married, Nina. Just…don't do it." Jack looked at her, smiling slightly.  
  
  
  
"Well, I don't know about never." Nina smiled back.  
  
  
  
"Just be like a female Hugh Hefner-you'll be glad you avoided commitment." Jack advised.  
  
  
  
"Isn't he married?" Nina pointed out.  
  
  
  
"Well, just ruin my anecdote then." Jack laughed.  
  
Nina grinned back, and then it fell silent between them. They looked at each other, their smiles slowly fading. Suddenly, a thick, heavy tension permeated the windy Los Angeles night they were standing in.  
  
Nina had wanted him for years, but looking at him now, it seemed as if he wanted her too. She knew he was lonely…she knew he was desperate…but when he throatily whispered her name, moving towards her slightly, she really didn't care.  
  
She leaned towards him, meeting his lips tentatively. But Jack wasn't really a tentative kind of guy. He kissed her back with a sudden, shocking intensity, one hand sliding up her back, one hand in her hair. Nina knew this would change everything; knew she'd probably regret this later, but as her mouth parted under his, she was finding it very hard to really care about anything but how it felt as he kissed her more passionately than she'd ever imagined in all her secret fantasies about him.  
  
Nina was finding it very difficult not to just rip his shirt off right there in the CTU parking lot, so she pulled away with a deep, shaky breath.  
  
"Jack, are you sure about this?" She barely managed to say.  
  
"What are you doing tonight?" He asked in his raspy, growling voice that right now almost sounded animalistic and also very hot.  
  
Nina smiled as he began to kiss her neck, his shoulder muscles strong against the palms of her hands.  
  
"What do you think?" She whispered.  
  
***  
  
  
  
Nina sat alone in the hotel room, lost in remembrance. Nothing had ever compared to what they had. Not to her. And nothing ever would.  
  
~*~  
  
A/N- Please review! Chapter 5 will be out shortly! 


	5. Breathe Your Breath

A/N- Thanks again everybody for the reviews! Here comes Ch. 5! This one takes place a bit later from the last chapter. If you're just dying to know how they got the antidote-let me know. I'll go through a whole lengthy explanation- but somehow I think most of you don't really care about that. Usual disclaimers apply- the lyrics are from Sarah McLachlan's "Possession."  
  
Counting the Cost  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Five  
  
Breathe Your Breath  
  
~*~  
  
"So here we are, Jack. The end of the road. I told you Mandy was a pleasure to work with. Such flexible loyalties if the pay-off's big enough." Nina took another long sip from her champagne glass, looking at Jack sitting across from her in the plush hotel room.  
  
  
  
The London skyline was soaked with rain from a pounding storm outside their hotel room. Jack looked out the window, tired but hopeful. They had the antidote. They had done it.  
  
  
  
Nina pulled the antidote out from the inside pocket of her jacket, looking at it for a long moment. Its fluorescent green color was reflected strangely in her pale green eyes.   
  
  
  
"Shouldn't you be going?"  
  
  
  
"It's three o'clock in the morning, Nina. Why would I do that?" Jack looked up at her, surprised.  
  
  
  
"I'm of no more use to you, Jack. You got what you wanted, and then you leave. Isn't that how our little story of dysfunction goes?" Nina crossed her legs, taking an even longer sip, starting to feel a slight pounding in her head. She suddenly realized she had drunk almost half the bottle.  
  
  
  
"Nina, we're both tired. We'll talk about what happens next in the morning."  
  
  
  
"No, I'd really like to talk about it now."  
  
  
  
"Well, you're drunk and exhausted, so I really think that's pointless."  
  
  
  
Nina slammed the champagne glass down angrily, putting the antidote on the bedside table.  
  
  
  
"You're such a bastard, Jack."  
  
  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
  
  
"I put everything on the line for you, I practically hand you the ticket to your daughter's salvation, and you still condescend to me! You don't even thank me! Yes, I know you hate me-but you came to me and I delivered. If you hate me so much, then why'd you even ask for my help? Why do you keep reappearing in my life? Why can't I ever just get away from you?" Nina was now working herself into a frenzy, something Jack didn't think he had ever witnessed in all of his years of knowing her.  
  
  
  
"Nina, this wasn't easy for me to come to you. And we're not going to go through all that again with the reasons why. You know them, and I know them. But despite my personal feelings about you, I am very grateful. You saved Kim's life. You were right. I do owe you."  
  
  
  
Nina looked at him, laughing callously.  
  
  
  
"You think so?"  
  
  
  
Jack nodded, going to sleep on the couch.  
  
  
  
"Jack, wait."  
  
  
  
He turned to face her, looking confused.  
  
  
  
"Can I ask you one more question?"  
  
  
  
"Yes."  
  
  
  
"Did you feel anything? When we…in Mexico? Or was that honestly and entirely a deception?" Nina crossed her arms, looking at her feet.  
  
  
  
Jack sighed.  
  
  
  
"I don't know, Nina."  
  
  
  
"How can you not know?"  
  
  
  
"It's complicated."  
  
  
  
"Yes, clearly. But just tell me the truth. I'll never bring it up again."  
  
  
  
"Nina, I don't know."  
  
  
  
"Well, I could offer some clarification on the matter." Nina took off her jacket, looking at him with a very unclear expression. It looked oddly businesslike, but there was definitely something underneath it. Something Jack couldn't identify.  
  
  
  
"Nina-I am grateful to you for the antidote. That doesn't mean anything's changed."  
  
  
  
Nina sighed in annoyance.  
  
  
  
"I don't care about you changing your mind. Just once, Jack…and mean it this time. Then you never have to contact me again. I don't really care. I'll be out of your life."  
  
  
  
"I'm not so sure I believe that."  
  
  
  
Nina stepped closer to him, the thin, silky strap of her shirt slipping off her shoulder.  
  
  
  
"Jack, for once in your entire life, just stop agonizing over every single decision. You want this. Some part of you does. I know you better than anyone, and I know that. You were holding back in Mexico. And I don't want you to hold back now. That's all I'm asking in return for my help."  
  
  
  
Jack looked at her unwaveringly, not really feeling the reservations he would have expected.   
  
  
  
Nina looked back at him expectedly. Jack took a step closer to her, his breath slightly shortened.  
  
  
  
"Just remember this, Jack- if I don't buy it, I'm digging one of these insanely expensive heels right through the antidote. I mean it."   
  
  
  
Jack nodded, thinking that the fact that this time he had the use of his hands would probably make this a little more convincing. She was a beautiful woman. One he had kissed many times before; made love to many times before.   
  
  
  
This couldn't be that difficult.   
  
  
  
He finally closed the gap between them, his lips softly pressing against hers. Nina broke away from him immediately.  
  
  
  
"Come on, Jack." She rolled her eyes.  
  
  
  
He sighed with frustration.  
  
  
  
"Fine. FINE." He practically snarled, pulling her to him roughly.  
  
  
  
He angrily kissed her again, his mouth against hers with almost bruising intensity. Nina kissed him back hungrily, drinking in the taste of him that she could never quite get out of her mind. It didn't have the strange unease of Mexico, where the thought of his betrayal always hung heavily in the back of her mind. It was a long, almost painful kiss with too much tongue and too much contact to leave any doubt in her mind that he wanted this.  
  
  
  
When it ended, they broke apart breathlessly, both still inches apart. Nina took a deep breath, wanting him so badly that it was causing her physical pain. But she knew he had done everything she'd asked. So she just smiled, looking up at him.  
  
  
  
"Well…thanks for that, Jack."  
  
  
  
She started to disentangle herself from him, her hands shaking slightly.  
  
  
  
But suddenly and totally unexpectedly, Jack grabbed her upper arm. Before Nina could even register what was happening, he was kissing her and pushed her rather violently onto the bed. Nina looked up at him in shock.  
  
  
  
"Jack, you don't have to do this. If you don't want to, I…don't either." She tried as hard as she could to sound convincing. She was still trying to come to terms with the fact that this was actually happening.  
  
  
  
"Just showing my appreciation, Nina." Jack mumbled against her mouth, kissing her again and ignoring the cautions roaring in the back of his mind.  
  
  
  
Following the rules had left him empty and alone. He was tired of always doing what everyone wanted him to do. There was something liberating about forgetting his past, forgetting the consequences, and just feeling her warm skin pressed against his. As the lightning cracked through the sky outside, Jack finally allowed himself to feel something without expecting heartbreak in return. This wasn't another one of his long string of sweet, innocent girlfriends. This was Nina. And she was strangely and suddenly exactly what he needed.  
  
  
  
But as he finally rediscovered a feeling he had long thought lost, Jack had no idea he was making the worst mistake of his life. Every choice has consequences. Everything in life has a cost. And as they fell asleep much later that night, soaked with sweat in each other's arms, Jack had absolutely no grasp of what that cost might be.  
  
~*~  
  
Through this world I've stumbled  
  
so many times betrayed  
  
trying to find an honest word to find  
  
the truth enslaved  
  
oh you speak to me in riddles  
  
and you speak to me in rhymes  
  
my body aches to breathe your breath  
  
your words keep me alive  
  
And I would be the one  
  
to hold you down  
  
kiss you so hard  
  
I'll take your breath away  
  
A/N- Review please! 


	6. Killer or Savior

A/N- You guys rock so much! Thanks for the reviews! And now…here comes the morning after. Usual disclaimers apply- the lyrics are from Fuel's "Shimmer."  
  
Counting the Cost  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Six  
  
Killer from a Savior  
  
~*~  
  
A misty ambience hung heavily on the London streets the next morning. A slight rain was falling, and it looked like the clouds were not clearing. Thunder rumbled softly in the distance, and suddenly, Jack jerked awake.  
  
  
  
He rolled over; tangled in the sheets and wondering why the hell he had no clothes on. Suddenly, the memories of last night hit him like a Mack Truck. Jack put his hands over his eyes, taking a deep breath.   
  
  
  
Jack didn't feel regret, really- it had been incredible. More than incredible. Overwhelming, even. He had never, ever felt like that with any other woman, ever in his life. He sat up, looking around the room. She wasn't there.  
  
  
  
He pulled on his boxers, walking towards the bathroom.  
  
  
  
"Nina?" He knocked on the door; then opened it.  
  
  
  
Nothing. Not even a towel was out of place.   
  
  
  
All at once, a terrifying thought hit Jack. The antidote.   
  
  
  
He turned towards the bedside table, his heart pounding in his throat. To his immense surprise, it was still there. It was right where she had left it, but this time with a small note folded beside it.  
  
  
  
Jack was so overwhelmed with confliction that he almost couldn't sit down to read it. Why had she left? Why had she not taken the antidote? She was Nina- that was she did. Steal things. Ruin things. Confuse the HELL out of him.  
  
  
  
Jack finally regained his composure; his head pounding slightly as he sat down and opened it. It was short, and written in her very distinctive, scrawling cursive.  
  
Jack-   
  
Who were we kidding? The antidote was all you really wanted. I actually do hope that Kim's okay, as little as you might believe that. Despite everything, despite the fact that I still don't understand what happened between us, I have to go. I can't tell you why, just trust me. Or don't. That's really your choice. I'll miss you, Jack. And for once, I am being honest.   
  
-Nina   
  
Jack put it down, looking out the rain-soaked window. He honestly could not define what emotion he was experiencing right now. Loss? Loneliness? Ambivalence? He had no idea.  
  
  
  
All he knew was that he had to get back to Kim. Nina had kept her word. He had told her the truth, and she had gotten out of his life. Just as suddenly as last night had happened, she was gone.  
  
  
  
He had to go back home to his daughter. Back to the life he once knew. But never, ever back to CTU. Jack quickly took a shower, packed his things, and walked out into the hallway. He looked at the room one last time, a room of beautiful nightmares soaked with both blinding passion and staggering confusion. With a deep, shaking breath, Jack closed the door on all of it, and walked away.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Kim woke up, her vision foggy and distorted. But her throat was not as constricted as before. Her skin didn't feel like it was on fire. And her father was standing right next to the bed, smiling at her.  
  
  
  
"Hey, sweetheart." Jack said.  
  
  
  
"Dad- no, the virus." Kim said, her voice ragged and hoarse.  
  
  
  
"I got the antidote. They've just done the final tests. Sweetie, it worked. You're going to be fine."  
  
  
  
"What about everyone else?" Kim asked, still taking in what her dad had just said.  
  
  
  
"They're administering the antidote now. They'll be all right."  
  
  
  
Kim almost started crying out of sheer relief. She wasn't going to die. She wasn't going to die. Her dad had saved her. She could go home. She could see Chase again. It was all going to be fine.  
  
  
  
"Dad…thank you." She whispered sleepily, taking his offered hand.  
  
  
  
Jack felt his throat constrict slightly as he watched her close her eyes, pressing his hand against her cheek as she smiled slightly.  
  
  
  
"Dad?" She said drowsily, the pain medication still slurring her speech slightly.  
  
  
  
"Yes, sweetheart?"  
  
  
  
"How did you get the antidote?"  
  
  
  
Jack looked at her still innocent face, and decided his decision to not tell her was the right one.   
  
  
  
"I have contacts, Kim. I used them. That's not important right now- what's important is that you're tired and need some rest."   
  
  
  
Kim nodded, easily placated. She started to nod off, still clutching Jack's hand tightly.  
  
  
  
"I love you, Dad." She practically whispered, drifting into a peaceful sleep.  
  
  
  
"I love you, too."  
  
Jack sat on the bed beside her, and suddenly realized how exhausted he really was. Leaning his head against the wall, he found his eyelids slowly getting heavier until he was also in a deep, heavy sleep.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Suddenly, Jack awoke in the hotel room from London. Nina was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at him when he opened his eyes.  
  
  
  
"Morning, Jack." She said casually, wearing a hotel bathrobe, her long dark hair messy and undone.  
  
  
  
"Nina-you left." Jack looked at her, more confused than before.  
  
  
  
"I left to get away from something that you can't ever get away from. You'd think I would have figured that out by now. But don't worry, Jack- we'll see each other again. Sooner than you might think."  
  
  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
  
  
"Something I thought a "brilliant" guy like yourself would already know. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Irresponsibility breeds it antithesis. Not that I minded, but just consider this a warning. I'm not gone for good, Jack. This story's only beginning."  
  
  
  
"Nina, please tell me what you're talking about."  
  
  
  
Nina smiled somewhat sadly, her hand on his cheek. She kissed him then, a slow, intoxicating kiss. After a long, searing moment, she broke away from him suddenly, and went to walk away.  
  
  
  
"Why are you leaving?" Jack couldn't help but ask.  
  
  
  
"Because I have to. Oh, and Jack?"  
  
  
  
"Yes?"  
  
  
  
"Some deceptions can only last so long until they reach a point where the truth has to come out. Just a little information you should keep in mind."  
  
  
  
And with that, she was gone.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Jack awoke with a start, still sitting on the hospital bed with Kim. So now he was dreaming about her. That's just fantastic.   
  
~*~  
  
She says that love is for fools who fall behind  
  
And I'm somewhere in between  
  
I never really know  
  
A killer from a savior  
  
'Til I break at the bend  
  
It's too far away for me to hold  
  
It's too far away...  
  
~*~  
  
A/N- Please review! 


	7. Set Your Spell

A/N- Thanks guys for the great reviews! All right, here comes Chapter Seven! The lyrics are from Fiona Apple's "Shadowboxer"-usual disclaimers apply.  
  
Counting the Cost  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
Set Your Spell  
  
~*~  
  
~*Oh, your gaze is dangerous  
  
And you fill your space so sweet  
  
If I let you get too close  
  
You'll set your spell on me  
  
So I just want to say  
  
Just in case I don't come through  
  
I was on to every play  
  
I just wanted you~*  
  
A month had passed since Kim had been released from the hospital. She was still not back at work, under doctor's orders to wait and make sure no unknown side effects of the antidote would kick in.  
  
Jack wasn't working either- so this was working out quite nicely.   
  
He brought her breakfast in the morning, opening her door.  
  
"Hey, dad." She said sleepily, rolling over.  
  
"Morning, sweetheart. Still feeling good?"  
  
"Just tired- but that's normal, right?"  
  
"I'm sure it is."  
  
"Ooh, bacon!" Kim smiled, taking a big bite.  
  
"I'm so glad you're feeling better." Jack smiled.  
  
"Thanks to you." Kim said, continuing to stuff her face.  
  
Jack looked down at his feet. He didn't deserve the credit for this. But facing up to who did deserve it meant facing up to what had happened between them before she'd left. And he just couldn't do it. The dreams about her had finally stopped. He was trying to just let it go.  
  
Suddenly, the phone rang in her room. Kim looked at her dad expectantly.  
  
"You gonna get that?" She asked.  
  
Jack nodded, picking it up.  
  
"Jack Bauer."  
  
"Jack, it's Tony."  
  
He sighed.  
  
"What is it, Tony?"  
  
"You need to come back to work. Everyone's really worried."  
  
"I told you I never working for you people again. Not after you nearly killed my daughter."  
  
"Jack, Kim's fine!"  
  
"Because I broke the law to save her!" Jack practically shouted. Kim looked up from her breakfast with surprise.  
  
"What are you talking about, Jack?"  
  
"Nothing. Forget it. I'm not coming back."  
  
"We can't just let someone who knows as much as you just quit. You know that."  
  
"What are you going to do, Tony? Send a hit man?" Jack laughed harshly.  
  
"Jack, don't belittle this. You need to come back. Kim needs to come back as soon as she can. Or else we might be forced to take action."  
  
"Is this supposed to worry me?"  
  
"Jack, what is your problem? Where the hell have you been?"  
  
"I did what I had to do to save my daughter!" Jack said angrily.  
  
"Which was?"  
  
"It doesn't matter now. It's done."  
  
"What are you trying to hide?"  
  
"What possible reason would I have for telling you anything? Just drop it, Tony!" Jack said, his voice growing louder with aggravation as Kim looked on wide-eyed.  
  
There was a long silence on the other end.  
  
"Jack, you didn't…" Tony sounded almost as if he couldn't finish the sentence.  
  
"I didn't what?" Jack sighed in frustration.  
  
"You couldn't have contacted her. Please tell me you didn't ask for her help." Tony sounded horrified.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about. This conversation's over." Jack hung up the phone abruptly.  
  
Kim looked up at him, swallowing hard.  
  
"Dad, you did something illegal to get the antidote?"  
  
"Sweetie, please don't worry about this. Whatever I did doesn't matter. It's over. And you're alive. And that's all that matters." Jack sat down on the edge of her bed.  
  
"Why don't you want to tell me?" Kim said, her blue eyes wide and innocent.   
  
"Kimberly, let it go." Jack said, his voice not as kind.  
  
Kim just nodded, going back to her bacon.  
  
~*~  
  
That night, long after Kim had fallen asleep, Jack was nodding off on the couch when his ringing cell phone jerked him out of a strange almost-sleeping state.  
  
"Hello?" He practically mumbled into the phone.  
  
"Jack, I thought I told you I was an even $400 for the whole night." He heard a familiar, mocking voice on the other end.  
  
"Why are you calling here? How'd you get this number?"  
  
"Well, so much for post-sex awkwardness." She said.  
  
"Nina, why are you calling here?"  
  
"How's Kim?"  
  
"She's…better," Jack paused, sighing, "Thank you. For your help."  
  
"Gratitude from Jack Bauer? I think hell just froze over."  
  
Jack didn't say anything.  
  
"So-are you back with CTU yet?"  
  
"I told you I'm not working for them ever again."  
  
"Yeah, but I kind of thought you were just taking a little hiatus so you could play with the bad kids for awhile."  
  
"No. I meant it."  
  
"Well, that's good."  
  
"Nina…why did you leave?"  
  
"I don't know, Jack. I figured our little story had pretty much played out that night- five times."  
  
"So where are you now?"  
  
"Around."  
  
"So why'd you call? Just to catch up?" Jack said, his voice laced with sarcasm.  
  
"No, actually. I need to see you."  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"Just trust me. It's important."  
  
"Nina, I don't think-"  
  
"No, it's not that, Jack. Although that does sound pretty damn tempting, I have something that I'm just dying to talk to you about."  
  
Jack noticed her voice sounded a little strange. Like she was getting upset.  
  
"What's going on, Nina?" He asked a little nervously.  
  
"Don't get all worked up, Jack."  
  
There was a long silence.  
  
Jack sighed in annoyance.  
  
"Are you ever going to tell me? Or just leave me in suspense?"  
  
"Fine, Jack. You really want to know what this is about?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"I'm pregnant."  
  
~*~  
  
A/N- Please review! Chapter Eight to come shortly! 


	8. So Much to Say

A/N- Thanks again guys! Usual disclaimers apply- the lyrics are from "More Love" from the Dixie Chicks. Don't you love my schizo my music is? Enjoy the chapter!  
  
Counting the Cost  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
So Much to Say  
  
~*~  
  
**I'm so close to you baby but I'm so far away  
  
There's a silence between us and there's so much to say  
  
You're my strength; you're my weakness  
  
You're my faith; you're my doubt  
  
We've gotta meet in the middle to work this thing out**  
  
~*~  
  
Jack nearly dropped the phone in shock. Barely recovering, he found his voice again.  
  
  
  
"Please…please, tell me you're joking." He said chokingly.  
  
  
  
Nina sighed heavily.  
  
  
  
"Yes, Jack, you caught me. Wasn't that hilarious? Of course I'm not joking!" She said angrily.  
  
  
  
"But how…how can you be pregnant?" He pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers, feeling a migraine coming on.  
  
  
  
"Well, Jack, it all begins when a man and a woman love each other very much-" Nina explained as if reading from a textbook.  
  
  
  
"Damn it, Nina! This is serious!"  
  
  
  
"Well, you kind of set me up for that one though."  
  
  
  
Jack stood up, starting to pace.  
  
  
  
"How do you even know it's mine?"  
  
  
  
"You don't think I found that out? It's yours."  
  
  
  
"What are you going to do?" He asked, totally at a loss himself.  
  
  
  
"That's why I think we need to talk about this."  
  
  
  
"When?"  
  
  
  
"Whenever you can get out for awhile without Kim noticing."  
  
  
  
"Where are you now?"  
  
  
  
"I'm in Los Angeles. I'll go back to that same hotel as before, we'll talk there."  
  
  
  
"All right. I'll be there in ten minutes."  
  
  
  
"Fine."  
  
  
  
Nina hung up, and Jack was left holding the phone and about to crush it like a soda can out of pure frustration. How could this be possible? Had he accidentally stumbled into the soap opera from hell? The woman who killed his wife was pregnant with his child. He could kill himself for making the kind of mistake he'd made. Had he lost his mind? Sleeping with Nina? It was just now sinking in how crazy that had been. This seemed like payback for being such an idiot.   
  
  
  
He left Kim a quickly scrawled note with some lame excuse, grabbed his coat, and left.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Jack walked up to the now familiar hotel room door, feeling sick to his stomach. He still couldn't believe this was happening. He was praying that he'd open the door, and she'd be smiling that same devious smile and announce she was only kidding.  
  
  
  
He wouldn't even be angry. He'd probably hug her.  
  
  
  
Jack knocked three times, shivering slightly. It was cold tonight, for Los Angeles anyway. She opened the door, looking pale and exhausted. She was wearing one of Kim's sweaters, a light blue turtleneck, and jeans. She looked very different from usual, even from her joking attitude when she had talked to him on the phone moments before. She usually greeted him at the door in all black, smiling like she knew something he didn't.  
  
  
  
Now Nina looked frightened and as if she was just as confused as he was, like the magnitude of what was happening had just hit her. Jack found her upset expression to be very disconcerting.  
  
  
  
"Come in." She said emotionlessly, turning around and sitting in the hotel chair with her knees pulled up to her chest.  
  
  
  
"Nina-" He said somewhat gently.  
  
  
  
"Forget it, Jack. Don't apologize. This is just as much my fault as it is yours. You always take the blame for everything."  
  
  
  
"What do you want to do about this?"  
  
  
  
"I don't know." She said irritably.  
  
  
  
"Well, you basically have two options. Keep the baby…or don't." He said in the same soft voice.  
  
  
  
"I don't want to-- terminate it." She said, looking up at him.  
  
  
  
"Are you sure?" Jack asked.  
  
  
  
"Yes! Damn it, Jack, it's your kid too! Or does that even matter to you? What, like it's mine, and that makes it tainted, so you don't care if it lives or dies?" Nina was practically shouting.  
  
  
  
"Nina, calm down. I didn't say that."  
  
  
  
"I know you didn't say it, but that's what you meant, right? You want me to get rid of it, so you don't have to DEAL with me! You know I'm right!" Nina glared at him, her words harsh with sadness.  
  
  
  
"Nina, whatever you want to do-"  
  
  
  
"Bullsh**, Jack! Since when do you care about me?"   
  
  
  
Jack looked down. She obviously was not going to be very rational about this. And he had absolutely no idea what to do with this situation.  
  
  
  
"Nina," he began softly, "tell me what you want me to do."  
  
  
  
"I'm not killing this baby." She said, looking at him with all seriousness, for once not a single sardonic note to her voice.  
  
  
  
"That's fine."  
  
  
  
"I don't even know why I told you." She sighed heavily.  
  
  
  
"Because raising a kid alone is a pretty daunting prospect, even for a criminal mastermind." Jack pointed out.  
  
  
  
"What? Like you're going to help me? Like we'll be just one big happy family? Yeah, right." Nina laughed callously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.  
  
  
  
"Nina, what's in our past has nothing to do with this. Like you said, it's half-mine. I can't just abandon you."  
  
  
  
"Sure you can." Nina said pragmatically.  
  
  
  
"Well, I'm not going to." Jack said, meeting her green eyes in the dimly lit hotel room.  
  
  
  
"Who knew that getting knocked up was the only way to make you a decent guy?" Nina smiled slightly.  
  
  
  
Jack sighed, looking away.  
  
  
  
"I'm kidding, Jack. Calm yourself." Nina sat up, rapidly switching back into her old persona.  
  
  
  
It made Jack a lot more comfortable to see her usual veiled indifference staring back at him instead shocking vulnerability.  
  
  
  
"All right. Well, I'll give you a call when the water breaks." Nina grinned.  
  
  
  
"I'll be back tomorrow." Jack assured her, not quite sure how to leave things between them.  
  
  
  
"Well, I'm sure the wait will be agonizing." Nina answered flippantly, suddenly feeling a little sick to her stomach.  
  
  
  
"Listen, Nina-" Jack started to say.  
  
  
  
"Kim's probably waiting. You should go." She cut him off abruptly.  
  
  
  
Jack sighed, looking at her, searching for how she really felt, and getting nothing back  
  
  
  
"Fine." He said, leaving and closing the door behind him.  
  
  
  
Nina got to her feet after he left, feeling shaky, tired, and emotional. She hated this. This pregnancy thing was throwing her all off and making it a lot harder to pretend like nothing Jack said affected her in any way. And she knew from her paltry understanding of pregnancy that the emotions were just going to get stronger as time went on. She swore right then that no matter how bad things got, she would never cry in front of Jack. She couldn't even imagine reaching a place that far into emotional weakness. She refused to let that happen.   
  
  
  
She looked down at her stomach. She was still as thin as usual, but couldn't help considering the fact that a life was inside of her right now. She and Jack's child. Something she had been so jealous of for so long every time she looked at Teri was now finally hers. And she had absolutely no idea how to deal with that.  
  
  
  
Sighing heavily, Nina sat down on the edge of the bed, thinking of the snack machine outside. Suddenly, she could really have used some chocolate and jalapeno chips.  
  
~*~  
  
A/N- More to come soon! Please review! 


	9. Hanging On

A/N- Thanks for the reviews guys! The lyrics are from Sarah McLachlan's "Circle." Usual disclaimers apply!  
  
Counting the Cost  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Nine  
  
Hanging On  
  
~*~  
  
There are two of us talking in circles  
  
and one of us who wants to leave  
  
In a world created for only us  
  
an empty cage that has no key  
  
Don't you know we're working with flesh and blood  
  
Crawling into each other it's smothering  
  
Every little part of me  
  
What kind of love is this that keeps me  
  
Hanging on  
  
Despite everything it's doing to me  
  
What is this love that keeps me coming  
  
Back for more  
  
When it will only end in misery  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Nina looked in the dingy, badly lit hotel room mirror. She looked awful. She was pale from being sick all morning and too thin from basically existing off of hotel food. But what choice did she have?  
  
  
  
This wasn't fair. This wasn't how anything was supposed to happen. Some part of her wanted so badly to just end the pregnancy, and go back to the life she knew before. But for some reason, she couldn't. She had never really given much thought to children- they were just slightly annoying little people all her friends proudly showed pictures of to her. But now that a child was actually hers- she couldn't do it.  
  
  
  
She had killed so many, watched so many final moments in a life, and never felt even a twinge of remorse- but the thought of killing the baby made her feel sick to even consider.  
  
  
  
Nina sighed heavily, splashing cold water on her face to try and dispel the nausea. She watched the water drip back onto the cabinet, gripping the side of the sink with white knuckles. Since when did she care about anyone or anything? The recent conscience spasm she had been experiencing was making her question everything she had ever done. And she hated it.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
"Dad, I think someone's at the door." Kim said, watching TV on the couch.  
  
  
  
Jack sighed.   
  
  
  
"I'll get it." He steeled himself.  
  
  
  
He opened the door, revealing a very nervous looking Michelle.  
  
  
  
"Jack!" She said, hugging him.  
  
  
  
"Hello." Jack answered curtly, pulling away awkwardly.  
  
  
  
She waited for him to invite her in.  
  
  
  
"Look, Michelle, I think I know what this is about. Tony sent you here because I won't listen to him, and he thinks, hey, Jack and Michelle get along all right, she'll talk him into coming back. But you won't. Sorry."  
  
  
  
"Jack, you can't keep doing this! You've always known the risks of working at CTU, but you let Kim work there anyway! You knew it was going to be dangerous! You cannot blame Tony or any of us for that!"  
  
  
  
"So now it's my fault that she almost died?"   
  
  
  
"It's no one's FAULT, Jack! Serving your country is a risky thing to take on, but you know Tony did everything he could to protect her! She volunteered!"  
  
  
  
"Everything he could? That's interesting. I don't recall him doing anything at all while she was dying in a hospital." Jack said bitterly.  
  
  
  
Michelle crossed her arms, her dark eyes flashing with anger.  
  
  
  
"If I had been infected with the virus, do you think Tony would have just quit his job, forsaken his responsibilities, and run off to get help from someone who nearly destroyed his life?" Michelle shot back.  
  
  
  
Jack looked at her in shock.  
  
  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
  
  
"You know what I'm talking about." Michelle looked back at him unflinchingly.  
  
  
  
"What do you think you know, Michelle?"  
  
  
  
"I don't think I know, Jack. I'm convinced you went to her. I have no idea how you justified that to yourself. Who else would have access to something like the antidote? And you wouldn't react like this if you hadn't."  
  
  
  
"If you're insinuating what I think you are…that's insane. Get out of here, Michelle. Tell Tony he can give up and leave me and Kim alone. And also tell him he can stop feeding you false accusations that are laughably implausible."  
  
  
  
Michelle looked at him for a long moment.  
  
  
  
"Fine, Jack."   
  
  
  
She turned and walked away, leaving Jack with an angry expression and a very small mike planted in his jacket pocket.   
  
~*~  
  
  
  
"Kim?"  
  
  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
  
  
"I'm going to go pick us up some pizza. What do you want on yours?"  
  
  
  
"Pepperoni and Canadian bacon. Dad, why don't you just order it?"  
  
  
  
Jack looked into her room.  
  
  
  
"Just need some fresh air. You feeling okay?"  
  
  
  
"Yes, I feel fine. Hurry back- I think they're about to start that Law and Order marathon."  
  
  
  
"I will. Love you."  
  
  
  
"Love you, too, dad." Kim smiled.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Nina heard a sudden knock at her hotel room, startling her out of watching the Law and Order marathon that had just started. She looked through the peephole, and saw Jack holding a pizza box. Huh.  
  
  
  
Nina opened the door, and he stepped in quickly.  
  
  
  
"Jack? Pizza?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
  
  
"Thought you might be hungry. Kim's is in the car though, I've got to hurry."  
  
  
  
"Uh…thanks." Nina said awkwardly, sitting on the bed and opening the pizza box.  
  
  
  
"Ooh, plain cheese. How exciting." She rolled her eyes.  
  
  
  
"I remembered you feeling really strongly about pepperoni, but I couldn't remember if it was that you loved it or hated it."  
  
  
  
"I love it. But that's okay. I am starving actually." She said, closing the box again.  
  
  
  
"So are you feeling all right?"  
  
  
  
"Just fantastic, Jack."  
  
  
  
"Really."  
  
  
  
"Couldn't be better. Thanks for the pizza." Nina said curtly.  
  
  
  
"You sure you're okay?"  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
  
  
"No morning sickness or anything?"  
  
  
  
"Oh, is that what that was?" She said sarcastically.  
  
  
  
Jack looked at her.  
  
  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
  
  
"Nothing's wrong. Kim's pizza's probably getting cold. You should go."  
  
  
  
Jack looked at her for a long moment.  
  
  
  
"Nina, you can't keep living here."  
  
  
  
"Well, where do you propose I live then?" She said a little harshly.  
  
  
  
"I…I don't know."  
  
  
  
"Thanks for that brilliant insight, Jack, now all my problems are solved!"  
  
  
  
"Look, Nina, I'm doing the best I can here. You know this is hard on me, too."  
  
  
  
"Oh, you're breaking my heart." She glared at him.  
  
  
  
Jack looked away from her, anger suddenly coursing through him. He looked back, his tone cold.  
  
  
  
"You know what? You don't want my help? Then I won't help you."  
  
  
  
Nina looked back, her expression just as icy.  
  
  
  
"What's stopping you then?" She got off the bed, standing suddenly very close to him, her eyes locked on his unblinkingly.  
  
  
  
They stared at each other for a long moment like two fighters sizing each other up.  
  
  
  
"Nothing." Jack finally broke the stare-down, leaving the room abruptly and slamming the door behind him.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
As Jack walked back to his car, practically seeing red with resentment and frustration, he suddenly stopped in surprise. Tony was leaning against the hood of his car, his expression critical and disappointed.  
  
  
  
"I didn't want to believe it, Jack."  
  
  
  
"If you're going to arrest me for saving my daughter's life, go right ahead." Jack said, realizing it was futile to feign innocence now.  
  
  
  
"I wouldn't be here if it was that simple. But you broke the law. And with her." Tony said 'her' as if it was the worst possible insult he could think of.  
  
  
  
"Get to the point. If you even have one." Jack sighed, aggravated.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Nina's cell phone suddenly rang, interrupting a really great court room scene on the TV. She sighed, swallowing her bite of pizza, and answering it.  
  
  
  
"Myers." She said into the phone.  
  
  
  
"Hello, Nina." It was a very familiar, heavily accented voice.  
  
  
  
Nina's hand clenched tightly around the phone.  
  
  
  
"You son of bitch."  
  
  
  
"Always good to hear your voice."  
  
  
  
"Look, Amador, don't even talk to me like we're friends-you screwed us all over."  
  
  
  
"Only because you were allying yourself with CTU."  
  
  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
  
  
"Don't you? Does the name Jack Bauer ring any bells? The man you so furiously warned me about, and now you're involved with him, even though you're aware that he was deceiving all of us in Mexico? Now come on, Nina- that's just pathetic."  
  
  
  
"Amanda told you."  
  
  
  
"Mandy's pretty loose with information. It wasn't that difficult to get it out of her. Wave a few dollar bills in front of her, she's like a little kid in a candy store."  
  
  
  
"Cute story. Why are you calling?" Nina said, getting nervous.  
  
  
  
"You're the only one who can identify Alvers and myself. I was just confirming you being alive."  
  
  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
  
  
"Can't wait to see you, love. I've heard Los Angeles is so nice this time of year." Amador said cheerily.  
  
  
  
Click.  
  
~*~  
  
A/N- Review please! 


	10. The Reason

A/N- Thanks so much for the reviews guys! Keep reading, usual disclaimers apply. The lyrics at the end are from Hoobastank's "The Reason."  
  
Counting the Cost  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Ten  
  
The Reason  
  
~*~  
  
Tony and Michelle stood there, looking at Jack with confused expressions.  
  
  
  
"Jack, I should arrest you for this."  
  
  
  
Jack impatiently ran a hand through his blond hair, his head pounding slightly.  
  
  
  
"Look, Tony-you and Michelle don't have kids. But someday, you will, and you'll finally understand why I do all these seemingly crazy things for my daughter. She matters more to me than anything in the world, and I don't think you can judge my decisions on something you know nothing about."  
  
  
  
"We understand how much Kim means to you, Jack. But that doesn't give you an excuse to conspire with a terrorist to save her." Michelle said somewhat sympathetically.  
  
  
  
"Then tell me what you would have done. Put yourself in my place and tell me what other options I had." Jack said.  
  
  
  
Tony and Michelle had no answer for that.  
  
  
  
"You know what, Jack? I've worked with you long enough to trust you. I know that you had run out of options. So I'll let this go." Tony finally said.  
  
  
  
"Thank you." Jack just nodded, starting towards his car.  
  
  
  
"Wait." Michelle called after him.  
  
  
  
Jack turned around, frustrated.  
  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
"She's up there? Right now?" Michelle looked toward the room Jack had just come from.  
  
  
  
"Yes." Jack said, seeing no point in lying.  
  
  
  
"Then we are definitely obligated to bring her into federal prison, even if we let you go."   
  
  
  
Jack looked at them, his stomach suddenly clenched.  
  
  
  
"You can't do that."  
  
  
  
"Oh, really? Why not?" Tony laughed, looking at him in disbelief.  
  
  
  
Jack sighed heavily, trying to think of some way to explain this without implicating himself. He saw none.  
  
  
  
"She's pregnant."  
  
  
  
Tony shrugged.  
  
  
  
"Big surprise. Sorry, Jack, but the U.S. government doesn't exactly deal in "get out of jail free" cards. If she's pregnant, it's her own fault."  
  
  
  
"She and the baby will both die if you send her to prison." Jack said; his voice slightly strained.  
  
  
  
"Maybe she just told you she was pregnant so you wouldn't kill her or put her in prison yourself." Michelle pointed out.  
  
  
  
"No, she's not lying." Jack said softly.  
  
  
  
"And you're so sure of this how? Come on, Jack, every word out of her mouth is a lie. You can't trust anything she says."  
  
  
  
"She's not lying." Jack said more decisively.  
  
  
  
"Oh, really? Did she happen to mention who the father was? Some other terrorist? That Alvers guy?"  
  
  
  
"No."  
  
  
  
"If she is pregnant, she probably doesn't even know who the father is." Michelle sounded slightly disgusted.  
  
  
  
"She knows!" Jack found himself suddenly and inexplicably angry.  
  
  
  
"Get a hold of yourself, Jack. Suddenly you care about Nina Myers?" Tony couldn't help but smile slightly at the absurdity of that statement.  
  
  
  
"No, of course not." Jack said tightly.  
  
  
  
"Then what's wrong? So she dies- any child of Nina's would probably come out with a 666 on its head. We'd be doing the world a favor." Tony said.  
  
  
  
"It's mine. I'm the father." Jack said simply, glaring at both of them, daring them to say anything in return.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Nina hung up the phone in shock, her hands shaking uncontrollably. Amador was going to kill her. He was going to kill her baby. She felt a distinct pounding in her head, her vision blurring slightly. Angry, frightened tears threatened to spill, but she quickly blinked them back. This was not the time to cry. Crying did nothing but make the situation worse. She had to think.  
  
  
  
She looked down at her stomach. A small bump was beginning to grow. The baby was now an actual human being, and getting bigger every day. This child was her one chance to actually do something good for once. She wasn't losing it because she couldn't outthink Amador.   
  
  
  
She looked out the window, hearing raised voices in the parking lot. Jack was standing there, with Tony and a woman she didn't recognize. What the hell was CTU doing here? How had they found him? She felt herself growing more and more anxious, as a steady nausea built in the back of her throat. Suddenly, the woman looked up at her window. Nina drew back quickly, closing the curtains.  
  
  
  
She couldn't help it. She retched almost violently in the bathroom, her skin pale and clammy as she stood back up.   
  
  
  
For practically the first time in her life, she was at a loss for what to do. She had always had some sort of contingency plan; some back up if things went wrong. She had always planned for everything. But she had never planned for this.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
"Yours?" Michelle sputtered, looking at him with wide brown eyes.  
  
  
  
"Yes."  
  
  
  
"Oh, you're hilarious, Jack. You and Nina?" Tony couldn't help it. He started laughing, looking at Michelle incredulously.  
  
  
  
"Honey…I think he's serious." She said softly to her husband, looking at Jack's unwavering expression.  
  
  
  
Tony stopped laughing abruptly.  
  
  
  
"Jack…how…you didn't…"  
  
  
  
"Well, Tony, there's really only one way for it to happen." Jack said patronizingly.  
  
  
  
"You slept with her?" Tony said, his voice strangled with disbelief.  
  
  
  
"Yes." Jack said, with a strange causality.  
  
  
  
"How could you do that?" Michelle looked at him in disbelief.  
  
  
  
"It was a mistake. But that doesn't mean I can just ignore the consequences."  
  
  
  
"A mistake? Don't you think you're understating this a little?" Tony sputtered.  
  
  
  
Jack looked away, out of things to say in his defense.  
  
  
  
Tony spoke in a much quieter voice to him, stepping close enough where Jack couldn't ignore him.  
  
  
  
"She killed Teri, Jamie, George, and nearly every employee CTU has in the explosion. She betrayed CTU in every way possible. She used both of us, Jack. She would have killed millions of people with a nuclear bomb or a deadly virus. How could you ever allow yourself to feel anything for someone that horrible?"  
  
  
  
"I loved her once," Jack finally looked back at them, "I'm not perfect. I make mistakes. And she was one of them."  
  
  
  
A long silence fell among the trio standing in the parking lot.  
  
  
  
"So what do you want us to do?" Michelle finally spoke.  
  
  
  
"Let it go. I'll take care of everything. Believe me, she's in no condition to hurt anyone."  
  
  
  
"That's what we all thought when she jammed a needle into her jugular." Tony pointed out.  
  
  
  
"I never thought that was enough to stop her. But this is. For the first time in her life, she's scared to death. She won't be a threat to anyone."   
  
  
  
"How can you be sure?" Michelle said tentatively.  
  
  
  
"Because I know her better than anyone. Just walk away and leave it alone."  
  
  
  
"We can't just walk away."   
  
  
  
"She's not going to prison. And neither am I."  
  
  
  
"Jack, this is insane. So, she has the baby, then what? You're just one big happy family?" Tony said sardonically.  
  
  
  
"I don't know."  
  
  
  
"That was a rhetorical question! Of course you can't be happy with her! She's a mass murderer currently at the top of America's Most Wanted List! Just stop and think about that, Jack. Yes, I realize she meant something to you once. But she ruined all of that. It was her choice. And she's everything you swore to protect this country against. How can you just compromise all of that for a child that she claims is yours?"  
  
  
  
"It is mine."   
  
  
  
Tony looked like he was about to hit Jack in the face merely for being such an idiot. But he just shook his head.  
  
  
  
"Fine, Jack. You take care of this. She's your problem. I hope you can live with yourself the next time she kills someone." Tony put his hand on Michelle's back, leading her away from Jack standing desolately in the parking lot.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Jack stood there for what seemed like an eternity, his mind reeling with muddled, confusing thoughts he had no time to sort out. He looked in his car, seeing Kim's pizza. Damn it. He had completely forgotten. He unlocked the car door hurriedly, getting in. But just as he turned on the headlights, he saw Nina standing in front of the car.  
  
  
  
Jack put the car in park. She looked so miserable he couldn't help but see what was wrong.  
  
  
  
"What is it?" He asked, getting out of the car.  
  
  
  
"I'm going to die unless you help me." She said, her voice much smaller than usual.  
  
  
  
"What are you talking about?"   
  
  
  
"Amador just called. He and Alvers are going to kill me- I'm the only person who can identify either of them." Nina still wouldn't look at Jack, the slight wind whipping her hair around her shoulders.  
  
  
  
"I don't know what you expect me to do about this." Jack said honestly.  
  
  
  
Nina finally met his eyes, and Jack was shocked to see her green eyes glassy with unshed tears.  
  
  
  
"I don't know either." She said softly.  
  
  
  
Jack suddenly felt very uncomfortable. Nina didn't cry. Never in his life had he seen her cry.  
  
  
  
And she didn't now. As soon as he saw the emotion there, she looked down for a moment and it was gone. Her eyes, hard and empty again, met his.  
  
  
  
"I know I deserve this. All of this. And I can say I'm sorry until the day I die, and it still won't change anything between us. But I'm still asking you- please help me. Everything that's happening is my fault, and that's my own judgment to deal with. But my…our child doesn't deserve any of this. And I can't stand the thought that my horrible decisions killed my only chance of giving something good to the world. I wish I could change everything…but I can't. All I can do is give this child a chance to live a life with the best father and the best man I've ever known."  
  
  
  
Jack looked at her with thinly veiled shock. Nothing could have prepared him for that. After a long, weighted silence, he finally spoke.  
  
  
  
"I'll help you."   
  
~*~  
  
I'm sorry that I hurt you  
  
It's something I must live with every day  
  
And all the pain I put you through  
  
I wish that I could take it all away  
  
And be the one who catches all your tears  
  
That's why I need you to hear  
  
I found a reason for me  
  
To change who I used to be  
  
A reason to start over new  
  
And the reason is you  
  
I'm not a perfect person  
  
I never meant to do those things to you  
  
I just want you to know  
  
I found a reason to show  
  
A side of me you didn't know  
  
A reason for all that I do  
  
And the reason is you  
  
~*~  
  
A/N- Please review! Chapter eleven to come soon! 


	11. Killing Me Too

Counting the Cost  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Eleven  
  
Killing Me Too  
  
~*~  
  
Lend me your ear and I'll tell you about the things I fear  
  
Open your heart and I'll tell you why I'm torn apart maybe  
  
Give me your hand cause it takes that fire to understand  
  
When was the last time you felt high  
  
Oh you were the best I've ever felt  
  
I don't need you fix me  
  
I just want you to listen  
  
It's killing me too  
  
It's so wrong not to be with you  
  
It's getting harder to stay awake  
  
It's killing me too  
  
It stops my heart just to be with you  
  
So listen cause you are the only one who cares to hear  
  
Show me your soul and I'll shine my light where it seems so cold now  
  
Give me your lips and I'll tell you about all the things I miss the most  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
"I'll help you." Jack finally said.  
  
  
  
"How?" Nina said chokingly.  
  
  
  
"I'll think of something. For now, I'll get you an apartment in my complex. You couldn't really leave the room, but--"  
  
  
  
"No, that's a good idea."  
  
  
  
"All right. Just please don't leave the room- if Kim saw you…"  
  
  
  
"She's going to have to know sooner or later." Nina pointed out.  
  
  
  
Jack looked away, sighing heavily.  
  
  
  
"I know. I just have no idea how to tell her. Nothing I could ever say would make sense," he looked back at her, "Nothing about this makes sense."  
  
  
  
"I know." Nina said softly, shivering slightly in the wind.   
  
  
  
"I should probably go back to CTU. Otherwise, Tony and Michelle might get even more suspicious that I didn't "take care" of our little problem." Jack said thoughtfully.  
  
  
  
"Oh, that was Michelle?"  
  
  
  
"Yes."  
  
  
  
"They look good together."  
  
  
  
"Yeah, they do."  
  
  
  
"I'm surprised Tony went right back to dating people from the office." Nina couldn't help but smile slightly.  
  
  
  
Jack didn't smile back.  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry." She said, her smile fading.  
  
  
  
"You don't have to apologize to me for screwing Tony over."  
  
  
  
"I told you, he didn't mean anything to me."  
  
  
  
"Oh, well, there's a good excuse."   
  
  
  
"Look, Jack, let's not do this. Not now. You're exhausted, Kim's probably dying of pizza starvation, and I'm feeling very mood swing-y. This is not the time to examine our past, all right?" Nina said, trying to lighten the mood.   
  
  
  
"You're right." Jack conceded, turning back towards the car.  
  
  
  
"Jack?"  
  
  
  
"What?" He turned back towards her.  
  
  
  
Nina stepped towards him, taking his face in her hands and kissing him deeply. Jack, caught totally off guard, instinctively kissed her back.   
  
  
  
She stepped back a moment later, and Jack opened his eyes to look at her with puzzlement.  
  
  
  
"Thank you for helping me." Nina said simply.  
  
  
  
"You're welcome." Jack replied haltingly.  
  
  
  
"Let's go." She said, opening the passenger door.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
As they drove back to the apartment complex, Jack called Kim on his cell phone.  
  
  
  
"Hey, sweetheart…yeah, I know, I'm sorry, I ran into Tony and Michelle, and they're not too happy with me for still not coming back to work. I'm almost there. Love you, too."  
  
  
  
He hung up the phone, and he and Nina drove in silence.  
  
  
  
"She looks so much like you." Nina finally said.  
  
  
  
Jack didn't say anything back.  
  
  
  
"How are you going to get the room?" She asked.  
  
  
  
"I'll say you're my sister. Family emergency. They know me there, they won't ask questions."  
  
  
  
"Your sister who's pregnant with your child?" She smiled, looking at him sideways.  
  
  
  
"I thought I'd leave that little detail out. They can just think my sister is a little on the big side." Jack smiled as well.  
  
  
  
Nina's smile dropped from her face in a flash.  
  
  
  
"Are you saying I'm fat?" She asked accusingly.  
  
  
  
"No! No, no, no. I was just saying…I-I was just kidding."  
  
  
  
"Side-splitting, Jack. Really."  
  
  
  
They drove in silence for a while longer, finally reaching the apartment complex.  
  
  
  
"Stay in the car. I'll be right back." Jack said, glad to escape the awkwardness of the car.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
"Here you go." Jack unlocked the door to her apartment, four doors down from his and Kim's.  
  
  
  
"Night, Jack. Thank you." Nina smiled, stepping into her new apartment.  
  
  
  
"So, I'll get you groceries tomorrow. And please, just stay in here."  
  
  
  
"I'll be a good girl, don't worry." Nina assured him.  
  
  
  
"I'm trusting you. Don't make me regret it." Jack said.  
  
  
  
"I won't."   
  
  
  
"Goodnight."  
  
  
  
Nina just nodded, closing the door after him.   
  
~*~  
  
  
  
"The pizza has arrived!" Jack said, stepping into his apartment.  
  
  
  
"Finally, dad." Kim giggled, getting up and taking the pizza box hungrily.  
  
  
  
She opened the box, scrunching up her nose.  
  
  
  
"It's all cold."  
  
  
  
"There's this wonderful invention called a microwave." Jack grinned.  
  
  
  
"All right, all right." Kim smiled back, going into the kitchen.  
  
  
  
Jack took out his cell phone, dialing Tony's number.  
  
  
  
"Almeida."  
  
  
  
"You answer your home phone like that?" Jack couldn't help but laugh slightly.  
  
  
  
"Hello, Jack. I'm assuming you took care of things?"  
  
  
  
"Of course. I was just calling you to inform you that Kim and I will both be back on Monday."  
  
  
  
"I'm glad to hear that. Look, Jack, we all kind of lose it sometimes. I'm not judging you. I'm just glad you're finally back to normal and that you took care of whatever that little bout of insanity was."  
  
  
  
"Yeah, me too." Jack replied.  
  
  
  
"All right, I'll see you Monday."  
  
  
  
"Okay. Tell Michelle I said hello."  
  
  
  
"I will. Thank you for calling me, Jack."  
  
  
  
"Of course. You're the boss." Jack said, meaning to come off as sincere but sounding a little mocking.   
  
  
  
"Bye, Jack." Tony hung up rather abruptly.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Nina was falling asleep on the bare mattress at half past midnight when her cell phone rang. She groaned, rolling over to answer it.  
  
  
  
"Yes?" She said groggily.  
  
  
  
"Hey, girl. It's Mandy." She heard that deceivingly vapid sounding voice on the other end of her phone.  
  
  
  
"Hello, Amanda. Oh, wait, before I forget, thanks for selling me to Amador!" Nina said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.  
  
  
  
"Sorry. He's a good kisser." Amanda giggled.  
  
  
  
"I'm sure." Nina said tightly, her fist clenching in anger.  
  
  
  
"Oh, like you can judge me after your sexcapades with Jack." Mandy smiled.  
  
  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
  
  
"You heard me. How stupid do you think I am? I bugged your phone. I've heard every conversation between you and your precious little patriot."  
  
  
  
"You bitch."  
  
  
  
"I've been called worse." Amanda shrugged.  
  
  
  
"So that's how Amador knew I was here."  
  
  
  
"Very good, Myers!"  
  
  
  
"Why are you calling?" Nina practically spat into the phone.  
  
  
  
"I don't know. I'm bored."  
  
  
  
"Goodbye, Amanda."  
  
  
  
"So you're knocked up, huh? I don't blame you. He was pretty hot. But come on, Nina, what kind of girl doesn't use birth control?"   
  
  
  
"This conversation's over." Nina said forcefully.  
  
  
  
"Hey, whatever, I don't judge. Maybe you wanted to get pregnant. Maybe you're looking for an excuse to get out of this life."  
  
  
  
"Thank you, Dr. Freud."   
  
  
  
"Anytime. Anyways, I was just calling to let you know that Amador and I have thought of a much simpler way for you to get out of this life."  
  
  
  
"If you think you can take us, go right ahead and try it."  
  
  
  
"Ooh, Nina, I'm shaking. The pregnant lady's going to hurt me!" Amanda said in an annoying falsetto.  
  
  
  
"I killed six doctors with surgical instruments after jamming a needle into my jugular vein. I don't think swollen ankles will really slow me down that much."  
  
  
  
"Well, we'll see, won't we? Bye, Myers." Amanda said in her soft, girly voice that still managed to sound threatening.  
  
  
  
Nina hung up the phone, quickly taking it apart and discovering the bug. Man, she was really losing her touch. Of course Amanda bugged her phone. She ripped the bug out angrily, crushing it with her fist on the bedside table and flushing the remains.  
  
  
  
She knew she was overestimating her strength right now. But if she didn't believe she could handle this, she'd fall apart. And that was not happening.   
  
~*~  
  
A/N- Leave me a review if you please! Chapter Twelve coming soon! 


	12. Made to Be Broken

A/N- Glad ya'll all liked Mandy- she and Amador are definitely this story's big bads. Keep the reviews coming- usual disclaimers apply, the lyrics belong to the classic song by the Goo Goo Dolls, "Iris."  
  
Counting the Cost  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Twelve  
  
Made to Be Broken  
  
~*~  
  
And you can't fight the tears that aren't coming  
  
Or the moment of truth in your lies  
  
When everything feels like the movies  
  
Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive  
  
And I don't want the world to see me  
  
Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
  
When everything's made to be broken  
  
I just want you to know who I am  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
The phone rang early the next morning, Kim hurried into the kitchen to answer it, finally back in her business suits after weeks in pajamas.  
  
  
  
"Hello?" She said, slightly out of breath.  
  
  
  
"Hey, Kim, it's Michelle. Is your dad around?"  
  
  
  
"Sure, I'll go get him."  
  
  
  
"Thanks. Tell him it's important."  
  
  
  
Kim knocked on the door to her dad's room.  
  
  
  
"Dad-Michelle's on the phone. She said it's urgent."  
  
  
  
Jack opened the door, buttoning up the last buttons of his crisp white shirt.  
  
  
  
"Thanks, sweetie."  
  
  
  
He took the phone, closing the door behind him.  
  
  
  
"Hello, Michelle. What's so urgent that it couldn't wait until I got to the office?"  
  
  
  
"Jack- I can't ignore my lust for you any longer. I'm leaving Tony for you."  
  
  
  
Jack blinked.  
  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
"I'm just kidding- it's Nina."  
  
  
  
Jack couldn't help but laugh.  
  
  
  
"You kind of threw me there for a second."  
  
  
  
"Yeah, well, I'm tricky."  
  
  
  
"You really shouldn't call here."  
  
  
  
"Sorry- it really is important though."  
  
  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
  
  
"Apparently, Amador's not coming by himself. Amanda's joining him in their little "Kill Nina" quest. She planted a bug in my cell phone, and knows everything."  
  
  
  
"Great." Jack sighed.  
  
  
  
"So what should I do?"  
  
  
  
"I'll be back probably around 7:30. Call me if you need to."  
  
  
  
"At work?"  
  
  
  
"Yeah."  
  
  
  
"Let's hope no one else answers your phone."  
  
  
  
"You can just do your Michelle impression again. Which, by the way, was uncanny."  
  
  
  
"Thanks. But what if Michelle answers the phone?"  
  
  
  
"I don't know," Jack smiled slightly, "I really have to go. Seriously, call me if you need anything."  
  
  
  
"How about food?"  
  
  
  
"I'll bring it on my lunch break."  
  
  
  
"Thanks."  
  
  
  
"All right, see you tonight."  
  
  
  
"Yeah."  
  
  
  
Nina hung up the phone; hunger pangs making her feel even more tired. She hadn't gotten much sleep after Amanda's phone call. She had always been something of an insomniac, but something about being pregnant and the target of two international terrorists was making it even more difficult to sleep at all.  
  
  
  
She got up, pacing around the apartment like a caged animal. That's a little how she felt. Going from jet setting to just sitting around all day was quite a transition. After a while of this, she heard very familiar voices outside her door. Jack and Kim were headed off to work, but had apparently stopped in the hallway.  
  
  
  
"Dad, I have to tell you something."  
  
  
  
"What is it?"  
  
  
  
"Chase called the other night. He said he needs to talk about something really important today."  
  
  
  
Nina didn't hear Jack say anything in return.  
  
  
  
"Dad, I think he's going to ask me to move in with him. We've talked about a lot; he just never actually did the asking. And I just wanted to talk to you first. I feel like I'm deserting you."  
  
  
  
"Sweetheart, you're twenty-three years old. You can make decisions without consulting me."  
  
  
  
"I know-it's just, I'd be leaving you all alone, and I'd feel horrible doing that."  
  
  
  
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." Jack assured her.  
  
  
  
"Are you sure?" Nina could practically hear Kim smiling.  
  
  
  
"I'm positive. I'm happy for you guys."  
  
  
  
"You're the best, dad."  
  
  
  
Kim hugged him tightly.  
  
  
  
Nina could only hear faint traces of their conversation after that as they walked away.  
  
  
  
She leaned against the door, smiling. Kim was moving out. She never thought she'd think this, but God bless Chase Edmunds.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Jack and Kim walked back into work together, and many people looked up at them with interest. The last most people had heard, Jack Bauer had gone rogue. Yet, here he was, playing proud father to his miraculously healed daughter as they walked in side by side.  
  
  
  
Tony came up to greet them.  
  
  
  
"Kim, so glad you're doing okay."  
  
  
  
"Thanks, Tony. My desk still open?"  
  
  
  
"Of course. Go talk to Michelle, she'll give your new assignments."  
  
  
  
"All right." Kim smiled at her dad, walking off.  
  
  
  
"Jack. It's good to see you back here."  
  
  
  
"Thank you. Can I get to work?"  
  
  
  
"Yeah…just, Jack?"  
  
  
  
"Yes?"  
  
  
  
"What did you do? How did you take care of things?" Tony said in a low, quiet voice, steering Jack away from the rest of the office.  
  
  
  
"I did what I had to. Let's just leave it at that."  
  
  
  
"Is there a reason you don't want to tell me?" Tony looked at him.  
  
  
  
"Tony, what exactly are you suspicious of? What, you think we're living together and going to Lamaze classes? I…took…care…of…it." Jack said with a tone of finality.  
  
  
  
"Fine." Tony shook his head, walking off.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
"Hey, Michelle." Kim walked up.  
  
  
  
"Kim- you're back! It's great to see you. We've all missed you here." Michelle smiled warmly.  
  
  
  
"Well, you talked to me just this morning." Kim smiled back.  
  
  
  
"What?" Michelle looked at her blankly.  
  
  
  
"When you called me this morning- looking for my dad." Kim said slowly, confused.  
  
  
  
"I didn't call your house this morning."   
  
  
  
"Well, then who did? I don't think my dad knows any other Michelle's." Kim's eyebrows went together in puzzlement.  
  
  
  
Realization suddenly dawned on Michelle's face, but she quickly masked it.  
  
  
  
"I don't know- Tony says I talk in my sleep. Maybe I make phone calls too." Michelle laughed, but it sounded a little false.  
  
  
  
It was enough for Kim though. She smiled back.  
  
  
  
"So, get me up to speed-what do I need to work on?"  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Jack came back to the apartment complex, laden with grocery bags. He kicked Nina's door, unable to knock. No answer. He kicked it again.  
  
  
  
Finally, she answered the door, smiling.  
  
  
  
"You going to kick it down or what?"  
  
  
  
"I was thinking about it." Jack said, about to drop everything he was holding.  
  
  
  
"Well, whenever you did that on operations it always really turned me on."  
  
  
  
"Really?"  
  
  
  
"Oh, yeah."  
  
  
  
"Good to know." Jack looked at her quizzically, handing her some of the bags.  
  
  
  
"Oh, finally, food. I am starving. I found some Tic-Tacs in Kim's jeans that you leant me, but apparently that is not enough to provide for two." Nina looked down at her ever-increasing bump.  
  
  
  
"It's really growing fast." Jack looked down at it too.  
  
  
  
"Yeah."  
  
  
  
"We should probably go to the doctor soon. Prenatal stuff." He pointed out.  
  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
"You know, checkups, physicals, all that."  
  
  
  
"Oh. Yeah. I guess we should do that."  
  
  
  
"Yeah. I'll make an appointment for you- my girlfriend…uh…"  
  
  
  
"Jenny. That was my sister's name."  
  
  
  
"You have a sister?"  
  
  
  
"Had. She died when I was sixteen."  
  
  
  
"You never told me that."  
  
  
  
"You never asked." Nina shrugged.  
  
  
  
Jack cleared his throat uncomfortably.  
  
  
  
"So, just call me if you need anything."  
  
  
  
"Will do."  
  
  
  
"I'll come by later tonight."  
  
  
  
"See you then."  
  
  
  
Jack just nodded, unsure of what else to say, and left.  
  
  
  
Nina watched the door close behind him, running a hand through her hair, and wondering what had just happened. She and Jack had just fallen right back into the easy camaraderie they had had when they were partners. It was strange…but nice. Better than the whispers of hatred and betrayal that usually hung between them. She had never hated him. But he had every reason to hate her. Nina refused to let herself fall into believing that that detestation was fading. The only thing that would lead to was disappointment and another broken dream whose shards she always willingly walked through. Not anymore. He wasn't breaking her heart again.  
  
~*~  
  
A/N- Review please! Ch. 13 to come soon! 


	13. Fool For You

A/N- Thanks for the reviews guys! Usual disclaimers apply, the lyrics belong to The Cranberries' "Linger."  
  
Counting the Cost  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Thirteen  
  
Fool For You  
  
~*~  
  
And I'm in so deep   
  
You know I'm such a fool for you.   
  
You got me wrapped around your finger  
  
Do you have to let it linger?  
  
~*~  
  
Kim wrote a big C for "clothes" on her last packing box.  
  
  
  
"I think I'm finally finished." She wiped her sweaty bangs off her brow, putting her hands on her hips triumphantly.  
  
  
  
"I didn't even know you had this much stuff." Jack laughed, picking up some of the boxes.  
  
  
  
"Suddenly, my apartment is seeming very insufficient." Chase grinned as well, grabbing some of the other boxes to take out to his truck.  
  
  
  
"Come on- I'm not as bad as most girls. Actually, I couldn't find a lot of my clothes." She said; her brow furrowed slightly.  
  
  
  
"What?" Chase looked confused as well.  
  
  
  
"Yeah, it was the strangest thing. Dad, you remember those jeans that I like obsessed with and that blue turtlenecky thing I used to wear all the time?"  
  
  
  
"Yeah." Jack said, keeping his expression neutral.  
  
  
  
"They weren't in my closet."  
  
  
  
"Weird." Jack said simply.  
  
  
  
Kim shrugged, grabbing the smallest box.  
  
  
  
"Let's go."  
  
~*~  
  
The three of them unloaded all the boxes from Chase's truck and Jack's SUV after they arrived at Chase's nice apartment complex.  
  
  
  
"Well, this is it." Kim leaned against the car, smiling at her dad.  
  
  
  
Jack nodded.  
  
  
  
"Thanks for helping me move out, dad."  
  
  
  
"Of course. I'll see you at work tomorrow."  
  
  
  
"Yeah. Love you." She hugged him tightly, reverting back to the day she'd left for college and panicked completely that she couldn't make it if her dad wasn't there with her.  
  
  
  
"Love you too." Jack smiled, hugging her back.  
  
  
  
Chase stood awkwardly by, and Jack and Kim parted, Kim looking over at Chase and smiling.  
  
  
  
"What, Jack? No hug?" Chase grinned.  
  
  
  
"I don't know if we're there yet." Jack smiled back.  
  
  
  
"Fair enough."  
  
  
  
"Take good care of her. Or you're fired." Jack raised his eyebrows at Chase, patting him on the arm and smiling at them both before getting back in his car and driving back home.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Jack reached his apartment, and looked around it forlornly. It seemed so empty now.   
  
  
  
Suddenly, he realized he hadn't checked on Nina all day, he'd been so distracted with moving Kim out. He remembered Kim asking about her clothes, and it reminded him to grab something for her. He walked down the hall, knocking on Nina's door.  
  
  
  
"Hey." She smiled; answering the door wearing a black, stretchy dress of Kim's Jack had given her.  
  
  
  
"Hey. I think this is the only time I've ever seen you in a dress."   
  
  
  
"Not by choice. It's the only thing that still fits."   
  
  
  
"Well, until now." Jack handed her what he had brought.  
  
  
  
"Your old CTU sweatpants and shirt. I'm touched."  
  
  
  
"I just thought they'd be comfortable."  
  
  
  
"Actually, good thinking."  
  
  
  
"You sound surprised."  
  
  
  
"That's because I'm far superior to you." Nina smiled sweetly, taking the clothes and walking back into her bedroom to change.  
  
  
  
Jack waited outside, looking around. The apartment was still completely bare and looked very lonely. He sighed heavily, speaking towards the door.  
  
  
  
"Hey, Nina?"  
  
  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
  
  
"Chase asked Kim to move in with him."  
  
  
  
"Oh, he did? I liked Chase."  
  
  
  
"I could tell by the way you almost shot him."  
  
  
  
Nina grinned, coming out of the bedroom in the sweats.  
  
  
  
"Well, I do that to all the boys I like."  
  
  
  
"Anyways, it's just me in the apartment now."  
  
  
  
"And?" Nina put her hands on her hips, not cutting him any slack.  
  
  
  
"And…I mean, it would be a lot easier to help you if you were just…right there."  
  
  
  
Nina clapped her hand to her heart in mock surprise.  
  
  
  
"Jack, are you asking me to move in with you? This is such a big step for us! Are you sure we're ready?" She said, her voice edged with sarcasm.  
  
  
  
"Yes or no, Nina."  
  
  
  
"Oh, why not?" She shrugged.  
  
  
  
"Good. You can just have Kim's old room."  
  
  
  
"Just let me pack- oh wait. I have nothing."  
  
  
  
"Then let's go."   
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Jack brushed his teeth in the bathroom as Nina sat on the couch, watching Conan O'Brien and eating popcorn.  
  
  
  
"Oh, Conan, you slay me." She grinned, popping another piece of popcorn in her mouth.  
  
  
  
"I don't get him." Jack said, wiping off his mouth and entering the living room.  
  
  
  
"Are you kidding? He's a comic genius!"  
  
  
  
"How would you know?"  
  
  
  
"I've been holed up for three months now, Jack. TV becomes a bit of a necessity."  
  
  
  
Jack shook his head, sitting on the other end of the couch.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, Nina winced slightly.  
  
  
  
"What's wrong?" Jack looked over at her.  
  
  
  
"Nothing. The baby just kicked." She said, holding her stomach.  
  
  
  
"Really?"  
  
  
  
"Yeah. It's so strange- this little person just kicking around in there."   
  
  
  
"I know. It's good strange, though, right?"  
  
  
  
"Definitely." She looked back at him, and a long silence fell between them.  
  
  
  
Abruptly, all the electricity in the apartment went out and Jack and Nina were suddenly plunged into total darkness. Nina's cell phone rang from the table beside her. A bit shaken, she picked it up.  
  
  
  
"Hello?"  
  
  
  
"Hey, girl. Hope we're not interrupting anything."  
  
  
  
"We just wanted to stop by. You know, to offer our congratulations." Nina heard a heavy British accent join Mandy's voice on the phone.  
  
  
  
She slammed the phone down on the bedside table, looking at the vague outline of Jack's face with alarm.  
  
  
  
"They're here."  
  
~*~ 


	14. Chains Meant to Break

A/N- Thanks for the reviews, guys! Usual disclaimers apply, the lyrics are from Garbage's "A Stroke of Luck."  
  
Counting the Cost  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Fourteen  
  
Chains Meant to Break  
  
~*~  
  
Hanging by threads of palest silver   
  
I could have stayed that way forever   
  
Bad blood and ghosts wrapped tight around me   
  
Nothing could ever seem to touch me   
  
I lose what I love most   
  
Did you know I was lost until you found me?   
  
A stroke of luck or a gift from God?   
  
The hand of fate or devil's claws?   
  
From below or saints above?   
  
You came to me   
  
Here comes the cold again   
  
I feel it closing in   
  
It's falling down and   
  
All around me falling   
  
You say that you'll be there to catch me   
  
Or will you only try to trap me   
  
These are the rules I make   
  
Our chains were meant to break   
  
~*~  
  
Jack scrambled through the side table's drawer, pulling out a flashlight and turning it on. A strong beam of light cut through the apartment.  
  
  
  
"All my weapons are under my bed. Come on."  
  
  
  
Jack grabbed Nina's arm, leading her towards his bedroom and quickly pulling out a large metal box underneath.  
  
  
  
He handed her the flashlight, and she shined it on the box as Jack opened it.  
  
  
  
It was the widest assortment of weapons she'd ever seen in a personal collection. It ranged from pistols to a grenade launcher.  
  
  
  
"Are they loaded?" She asked, as he took a M-16.  
  
  
  
"Yes." He said, handing her a shotgun.  
  
  
  
"Jack…" She said, her voice shaking slightly.  
  
  
  
He looked up into the beam of the flashlight, his eyes looking startlingly blue. He could barely even see her in the darkness.  
  
  
  
"Nina, I'm not letting anything happen to you."  
  
  
  
"Amador and Mandy…they do this for a living."  
  
  
  
"So do we. You've got to focus, Nina."  
  
  
  
She nodded, cocking the gun.  
  
  
  
"Do you want to try to get out? The fire escape-" Jack said, putting extra clips into his pocket.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, there were gunshots and screams in the outside hallway.  
  
  
  
"There's no time." Nina said, her finger shaking slightly on the trigger as she pressed the gun against her shoulder and stepped back into the living room.  
  
  
  
Jack caught her arm.  
  
  
  
"You stay in the bedroom. They don't know for sure you're here with me."  
  
  
  
"No, you need back-up."  
  
  
  
"Just stand right by the door. If I need you, you'll know."  
  
  
  
Nina looked up at him, suddenly struck with the realization that they were both probably going to die.  
  
  
  
"It shouldn't end like this." She said in a choked whisper.  
  
  
  
Jack looked back at her, his eyes full of an indiscernible emotion.  
  
  
  
"It won't." He said softly.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, there was a loud knock at their door.  
  
  
  
"I have to go." Jack said, leaving the room quickly and closing the door behind him.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Nina pressed her ear against the door, every muscle in her body tensed.  
  
  
  
She heard the door get kicked once…twice…and it was down.  
  
  
  
"Jack Bauer…nice place you've got here." Nina heard Amador's distinctive voice.  
  
  
  
"Yes, very tasteful." Mandy giggled.  
  
  
  
"What do you want?" Jack stood up, not holding his gun as if to appear unaware.  
  
  
  
"I think you know that." Amador said, smiling patronizingly.  
  
  
  
"I wouldn't have asked." Jack countered.  
  
  
  
"Okay, Jack, you want us to spell it out for you? Nina Myers. Where is she?" Mandy said, her cheery voice growing a little more serious.  
  
  
  
"I have no idea."  
  
  
  
"That's a lie." Mandy rolled her eyes.  
  
  
  
"We know you've been in contact with her. We've heard everything, Jack, so don't try to bloody lie your way out of this!" Amador said, infuriated.  
  
  
  
"We were in contact. She disappeared yesterday. I haven't heard from her since."  
  
  
  
Amador and Mandy looked at each other.  
  
  
  
"We don't believe you." Mandy said with crossed arms.  
  
  
  
"Well, that's too bad." Jack shrugged.  
  
  
  
"So you won't mind if we search your apartment?"  
  
  
  
"Go right ahead." Jack said dismissively.  
  
  
  
Nina's finger tensed on her trigger, ready behind the door.  
  
  
  
"Mandy, darling, check over there. Jack, you come with me." Amador began to walk to the other side of the apartment, towards Kim's bedroom.  
  
  
  
Mandy nodded, walking towards Jack's bedroom.  
  
  
  
Mandy started to open the door, and Nina backed up carefully, hiding in the darkness the shadows provided.  
  
  
  
She squinted to see in the darkness, searching around the room. She saw nothing, and proceeded to check in the bathroom. Nina pressed her back against the wall, getting ready.  
  
  
  
Mandy opened her mouth to shout something to Amador, and all of a sudden, Nina grabbed her from behind, strangling her with her forearm, and holding the gun with the other.  
  
  
  
"Hey, Evil Barbie, didn't you ever learn to check the corners first?" Nina smiled, feeling the old rush she got from being in total control of a situation.  
  
  
  
Amanda fought to reach her gun, gasping for air. Nina spun her around, slamming her head into the wall and letting her drop to the ground, her gun pointed at her forehead.  
  
  
  
"If you say a word to Amador, I'll shoot." Nina whispered.  
  
  
  
"You're going to kill me anyway." Amanda said, her voice hoarse.  
  
  
  
"Give me one good reason not to." Nina said through gritted teeth, pressing the barrel harder into Amanda's forehead.  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry, Nina, please, I don't want to die." Mandy's eyes filled with tears as she suddenly reverted into her little girl persona.  
  
  
  
"Believe me, Mandy…I'm doing you a favor. There's no other way to escape this life."  
  
  
  
"So why don't you just kill yourself?" Mandy said, trying to find some kind of bargaining power.  
  
  
  
"Because now I have something to live for." Nina said without any further explanation.  
  
  
  
"What? Jack? He doesn't love you."   
  
  
  
"Shut up." Nina said tightly.  
  
  
  
"It's true. The world we live in, Nina, there's no love. There's just money and power and death." Mandy said softly.  
  
  
  
"Well, then you're welcome." Nina said, preparing to shoot her.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, there were other gunshots heard outside. Nina froze, giving Amanda enough time to kick her feet out from under her. Nina hit her head hard against the bedpost as she fell, slamming against the ground unconscious.  
  
  
  
Amanda shakily got to her feet and went to go find Amador.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
She walked through the apartment, but heard no noise. Finally, she walked into the bathroom in a mostly bare guest room after seeing the light was on.  
  
  
  
"Amador?" She said tentatively.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, the cold steel of a gun barrel was pressed against her temple.  
  
  
  
"Hands on your head."  
  
  
  
She complied.  
  
  
  
"Get on your knees."  
  
  
  
Amanda sank to her knees, looking up at Jack.  
  
  
  
"Where's Amador?"  
  
  
  
"He shot me in the arm and jumped out of the window onto the fire escape. I heard the car drive off. He abandoned you."  
  
  
  
She looked up at Jack's profusely bleeding right forearm. He had already wrapped his button down shirt around it to apply pressure, and was wearing just a white wife beater.  
  
  
  
"If you're going to kill me, just get it over with." She said in a small, girlish voice.  
  
  
  
"Where's Nina?"  
  
  
  
"I took care of her."  
  
  
  
Jack pressed the gun harder against her skin.  
  
  
  
"You killed her?" He said through gritted teeth.  
  
  
  
Amanda didn't answer, just looking steadily ahead.  
  
  
  
Jack pistol-whipped her ferociously, and she let out a cry as she fell to the ground, clutching her head.  
  
  
  
"You bastard!" She whined.  
  
  
  
"Is she dead?" He repeated.  
  
  
  
"Why do you care?" Amanda looked up at him, honestly confused.  
  
  
  
"I'm asking the questions. Did you kill her?"  
  
  
  
"I don't understand you, Jack. Amador told me Nina killed your wife and, like, screwed over your little government agency. How can you even…I mean…"  
  
  
  
"I don't need to explain myself to you. You're just a little girl who likes to pretend that all the destruction you cause has a purpose. So where do you get off accusing me of anything?" Jack looked at her angrily.  
  
  
  
"I didn't accuse you."   
  
  
  
"Get up." Jack ordered her.  
  
  
  
Amanda complied.  
  
  
  
"Call Amador. Tell him Nina's not here, and that you got me to talk. She's back in England. That's all you know." Jack ordered her.  
  
  
  
Amanda nodded, picking up her phone and following his instructions.  
  
  
  
"So what? You're just going to let me walk?" She looked at him quizzically.  
  
  
  
"The police are already here. I doubt you'll get far." Jack said, looking out the window.  
  
  
  
Amanda looked out the window as well, sighing heavily.  
  
  
  
"I guess I'll just be going."  
  
  
  
"Good luck." Jack said sarcastically.  
  
  
  
"Thanks." She said with equal derision, jumping out the same window Amador had.  
  
  
  
Jack was left alone in the bathroom, his arm throbbing unbearably. Suddenly, he was struck with the thought. He still didn't know if Nina was all right.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
He raced into his bedroom, and saw her lying on the floor, a large gash on her right temple, and blood pooling on the floor. She wasn't moving.  
  
  
  
Jack knelt beside her, feeling her pulse. It was steadily beating, and he could see she was breathing faintly.   
  
  
  
He propped her head up on a pillow, grabbing a towel from the bathroom and wiping the blood off from around the wound. As he did, she stirred slightly. She barely opened her eyes, looking very disoriented.  
  
  
  
"Jack." She said, looking up at him.  
  
  
  
"Yeah, it's me." He said, noting the irony that he was actually flooded with relief knowing she was alive.  
  
  
  
"I thought you were dead." She said, still sounding not entirely conscious.  
  
  
  
"The bullet just got me in the arm."  
  
  
  
"You need a doctor."   
  
  
  
"So do you."  
  
  
  
"I'm glad you're okay." Nina smiled faintly.  
  
  
  
Jack just nodded, wiping her bangs off her forehead.  
  
  
  
"Is anyone in here?" A sudden unfamiliar voice jolted them.  
  
  
  
It was a police officer, searching the apartment.   
  
  
  
"We're back here." Jack answered.  
  
  
  
"I'm Officer Daniels, the paramedics are on their way." The cop said, kneeling beside them.  
  
  
  
"I'm Jack Bauer, a federal agent with CTU. This is my girlfriend, Jennifer. We were just in our apartment and a man, Michael Amador, and a woman, Amanda, came in with guns. I fought them off." Jack decided not to mention that Nina was something of a lethal weapon herself. Didn't seem to have relevance, and would make his nice little girlfriend story a little hard to sell.  
  
  
  
"So you know these people?"  
  
  
  
"Yes. I was involved in business with Amador on an undercover assignment." Jack verified.  
  
  
  
"What happened to your arm?" The cop asked.  
  
  
  
"Gunshot wound."  
  
  
  
"You seem to be getting around all right for a recent bullet wound." Officer Daniels looked shocked.  
  
  
  
"Yeah, well, he's tough." Nina smiled at the officer from the ground.  
  
  
  
"Jennifer, right?" The cop looked down at her.  
  
  
  
"That's right." Nina lied easily.  
  
  
  
"You're pregnant?"  
  
  
  
"I sure hope so." She smiled, looking down at her swollen stomach.  
  
  
  
"How far along are you?"  
  
  
  
"2½ months."  
  
  
  
"We'll have the doctors check everything out for you."   
  
  
  
"Thank you."  
  
  
  
"I'll go tell the paramedics your situations and tell them where you are." Officer Daniels promised, leaving quickly.  
  
  
  
Nina exhaled heavily, closing her eyes for a moment.  
  
  
  
"You should call Kim. She'll want to know if you're in the hospital."  
  
  
  
"She might see you." Jack shook his head.  
  
  
  
"Jack, you can't just keep hiding this from her. Eventually, there's going to be this mystery baby running around, and I think she might wonder." Nina rolled her eyes, her head still spinning slightly from the fall.  
  
  
  
"I can't just keep hiding you out here either." Jack said, leaning against the bed and holding his arm tightly.  
  
  
  
Nina didn't say anything, just stared at the ceiling.  
  
  
  
Jack opened his mouth to say something else, and she silenced him with a glare.  
  
  
  
"Jack…please, can we talk about this when I'm a little more lucid?"  
  
  
  
"Of course." Jack said, and they fell back into silence.  
  
  
  
"Just call her. I'll request a different room, you can tell her then. She'll be all worried about you, maybe she'll take it better."  
  
  
  
"What if Chase comes too?"  
  
  
  
"Tell him you want a teddy bear from the gift shop. He'll buy it."  
  
  
  
"Nina, I'm serious. When Kim saw you at CTU…she nearly lost her mind. I can't even imagine what hearing this will do to her. What if she reports this? She could get you put back in prison. Maybe we should just wait until the baby's born at least."  
  
  
  
"Yeah, because once that happens, who the hell cares what happens to me, right?" Nina smiled sadly at Jack.  
  
  
  
"I didn't say that."  
  
  
  
"But you meant that."  
  
  
  
Jack sighed heavily.  
  
  
  
"Look, Nina, sometimes I hate you, most of the time I don't understand you-"  
  
  
  
"Oh, that old line." Nina grinned.  
  
  
  
"But that doesn't mean I don't care what happens to you."  
  
  
  
"Oh, really?"  
  
  
  
"Sometimes, I still can't help but see you like I did along time ago…as the best friend and partner I ever had. And yes, you changed everything between us and I don't know if I can ever forget that, but it's hard to despise someone who at one time was everything I wanted."  
  
  
  
Nina looked at him, surprised.  
  
  
  
"Jack, would it mean anything if I honestly apologized?"  
  
  
  
"Yes." Jack said simply.  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry. You're the only man who's ever meant anything to me, and I ruined it because of a lot of bad decisions that I have no right to try to account for."  
  
  
  
Jack just nodded, and it seemed as if a divide between them had been breached. He had wanted to hear her apologize for so long that it almost seemed surreal to actually have the words hanging heavily amid them.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, the paramedics entered the apartment, their footsteps startling Nina and Jack out of their strange silence. That conversation would have to wait.  
  
~*~  
  
A/N- Please review! Ch. 15 to come soon! 


	15. Two Steps Back

A/N- Thanks guys- so happy ya'll are enjoying! Usual disclaimers apply, the lyrics are from Incubus' "Have You Ever."  
  
Counting the Cost  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Fifteen  
  
Two Steps Back  
  
~*~  
  
Jack swallowed his pain pills with a glass of water in the kitchen. He had to take them every two hours after leaving the hospital, and couldn't sleep anyway. It was now about six o'clock in the morning, and he had to wake up at seven and go to work and act like his arm hadn't been shot, like he had gotten a full night's rest, and like hadn't been attacked by terrorists last night.   
  
  
  
He could hear Nina pacing her room. She wasn't technically supposed to sleep because of the slight concussion she had received, and for once, she was following orders, albeit begrudgingly. The baby was unharmed by the fall, and that was enough for her to do as she was told.  
  
  
  
They hadn't really spoken after coming home from the hospital. She had just walked back into the apartment, mumbled goodnight, and gone into her room.  
  
  
  
Jack decided she would never stop confusing him. A couple hours ago, she was finally apologizing for everything she had done. And now, the moment had passed and she was back to her old self, closed off and invulnerable.  
  
~*~  
  
Nina sat down on her bed after pacing restlessly for hours. She was tired and her head was throbbing. Her pregnancy stopped from being able to take any pain pills.   
  
  
  
She could hear Jack in the next room. Work was going to be really fun for him tomorrow, she thought with a slight grin, imagining a bleary-eyed, stumbling Jack walking into CTU, babbling incoherently.  
  
  
  
She put her hands on her stomach, exhaling heavily. The baby was alive and healthy. See, she could be a good mom. True, most mothers didn't have to fend off terrorists for the sake of their child, but she wasn't most mothers.  
  
  
  
It was so weird to even think about herself as a mom. She had settled long ago on the fact that that the whole "family life" was never going to happen to her, and she had never really cared.   
  
  
  
She looked out the window, fatigue making an icy feeling creep over her skin. She had to get out of here, or she was going to eventually nod off. She heard Jack close a cabinet in the kitchen. Trying not to remember the weakness she had displayed in their last conversation, she got up to open the door.  
  
  
  
If anyone could keep her awake, Jack could.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
"Hey." She said nonchalantly, sauntering into the kitchen and sitting on the table.  
  
  
  
Jack acknowledged her with a slight nod, going back to his sandwich.  
  
  
  
"So…you do realize that you have to get ready for work in a half-hour?" She asked.  
  
  
  
"Yeah." Jack sighed.  
  
  
  
"Oh, well, if anyone asks, tell them you were with me." She smiled slightly.  
  
  
  
"Sure, Tony would love that." Jack couldn't help but smile slightly as well.  
  
  
  
"Oh, who cares what Tony thinks? "  
  
  
  
"He's the boss."  
  
  
  
"That is so bizarre. Every memory I have of him is of this subservient guy with unfortunate facial hair who we just delegated everything to. And then, when I saw him at CTU…I just can't imagine him running the place." Nina shook her head.  
  
  
  
"Well, he does fine." Jack shrugged.  
  
  
  
"If you say so." She replied, unconvinced.  
  
  
  
Nina looked away, redoing her messy bun, and subsequently popping her knuckles.  
  
  
  
"I hate when you do that." Jack said, looking up at her, starting to feel his exhaustion melt into irritability.  
  
  
  
"Oh, so sorry." Nina said sarcastically, popping away.  
  
  
  
"Quit being such a bitch." Jack said under his breath.  
  
  
  
Nina looked at him with narrowed eyes.  
  
  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
  
  
"Nothing." Jack said, looking determinedly at his sandwich.  
  
  
  
"You think THIS is me being a bitch?" Nina got to her feet, her eyes flashing dangerously.  
  
  
  
"Nina, just drop it. I'm sorry, I'm just tired."  
  
  
  
"You've never seen half of what I can do to people, Jack. You have no idea." She said, walking up to the table.  
  
  
  
"Oh, I think I distinctly remember getting a personal demonstration when you killed my wife." Jack said, standing up, his voice lowering dangerously.  
  
  
  
"I was doing you a favor." Nina said, smiling cruelly.  
  
  
  
Jack had never wanted to hit someone so badly in his entire life. He grabbed her upper arm with a grip rivaling a vice, his teeth gritted tightly, trying to think of something to say that would match his anger. Nina didn't even blink, meeting his eyes steadily.  
  
  
  
"Come on, Jack. Some part of you knows that, deep down, you went back to her because you felt obligated. She never realized what she had. Kim hated her for how she treated you. You told me that. She never appreciated you, she never understood you, and you know it. Yes, I was wrong to do what I did. But do you honestly believe for one second that if she was still alive, you'd be happy? After the little reunion glow faded, you'd go back to cutting her out of your life just like you always had." Nina said angrily.  
  
  
  
Jack's grip tightened.   
  
  
  
"I did not cut her out of my life."  
  
  
  
"Of course you did. You had to. As deep in as you were, how could you not?"  
  
  
  
"Do you have a point?"   
  
  
  
"Being honest. You want me to start telling you the truth, I will. You told me that once I was everything you wanted. You want to know why? Because I understood you. Because I'd seen everything you had. Because you let me in like you could never allow yourself to with her. Face it, Jack- she was your attempt to grasp some kind of normalcy. But you have to live and breathe insanity everyday- your life will never be normal."  
  
  
  
"So you decided taking her life would solve all my problems?"  
  
  
  
"No. That was never part of any plans I made. You should know that."  
  
  
  
Jack stepped away from her, disgusted.  
  
  
  
"I should have known anything resembling an apology from you was a lie. If you had the chance, you wouldn't go back and change anything. You'd make the exact same decisions all over again." Jack said, a look of realization spreading across his face.  
  
  
  
"That's not true." Nina said quietly.  
  
  
  
"Yes, it is. You haven't changed. You'll never change." He said, his voice growing in frustration.  
  
  
  
"That's not true." Nina said, her voice a little stronger.  
  
  
  
"It is true. Look, Nina, you want to be honest? No, I don't really care what happens to you after this. I wish you'd never gotten pregnant. I wish you'd never come back into my life. I wish I'd never met you. You ruined every good thing I ever believed in. You're a despicable woman who uses people to get what she wants, but you don't even know what that is anymore. You have no motives, no friends, and no chance to ever redeem yourself to anyone. You took the happiness you might have had, and threw it away with both hands. You want to know the reason you never really let anyone know you? Because you're afraid that they'll see your weakness and your guilt. You're incapable of loving someone, even your own child, because all you care about is yourself. Our child has done nothing to deserve a mother who's as horrible of a person as you are. I'd rather it be anyone's than yours."  
  
  
  
When Jack finished, he realized he hadn't even thought about half the things he'd just said, they'd just poured out of him, trapped by years of repression. He looked at her for some response.  
  
  
  
Nina blinked hard, and when she finally looked up at him, Jack saw that she was crying. A single tear slid down one cheek, and her eyes exposed more than if she'd been standing naked before him. She looked vulnerable for the first time in her life, and deeply hurt.  
  
  
  
Jack, still on something of an anger high, looked down at her, trying not to let her present state affect him.  
  
  
  
"Hurts to hear the truth, doesn't it?" He said harshly.  
  
  
  
She continued to let the tears fall, not saying anything.  
  
  
  
"Answer me!" Jack demanded, his conscience starting to wear on him as she stood there, crying.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, Jack's alarm clock went off in his room. It was seven o'clock.  
  
  
  
Jack looked at Nina, who was obstinately looking away from him. He knew this was ridiculous, but he felt awful for losing it like he had. What could that possibly have helped?  
  
  
  
"Nina-" He went to touch her arm, force her to look at him.  
  
  
  
She looked at him suddenly, her green eyes glassy and fierce.  
  
  
  
"Don't…touch…me." She said in a low whisper that was still choked with tears.  
  
  
  
"I thought you wanted us to be honest." Jack said.   
  
  
  
Without another word, Nina walked away and slammed the door to her room.  
  
~*~   
  
Unabashed honesty would be ideal  
  
But a prophet did once say that honesty is a lonely word  
  
So where do we go from here?  
  
Abandon ship now?  
  
My problem is you make me melt and I don't want to be frozen anymore  
  
~*~  
  
A/N- Please review- sorry for a very angsty chapter, but they are just very angsty people.   
  
Chapter Sixteen will come soon, and maybe I'll even throw in some Kim and Chase to lighten  
  
the mood! See that little review box? Click on it! 


	16. Screaming Silence

A/N- Hey guys-thanks for all the reviews, it's so great to hear from everybody! Usual disclaimers apply, the lyrics are from "After All" by Delerium.  
  
Counting the Cost  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Sixteen  
  
Screaming Silence  
  
~*~  
  
She knows the noises in her mind  
  
Nothing's left but  
  
Screaming silence  
  
After all she feels numbness inside  
  
The feeling's gone  
  
She's upside down  
  
The pictures behind her closed eyes  
  
This time you went too far  
  
After all they shared   
  
How could he simply say no  
  
After all they shared  
  
He turned away from her to go  
  
She said she wouldn't cry  
  
That was really just a lie  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Nina sat alone in the apartment the next morning, exhausted and still in shock from last night's events. She had cried right in front of him. Jack had made her cry, something she had sworn up and down, would never, ever happen.  
  
  
  
Lying awake last night, she had been so upset she could hardly even see straight. Now, she had a little more perspective. She hadn't exactly been an angel last night either with the things she'd said to him. And she had always known, deep down, that every word out of his mouth had been in his mind all along.   
  
  
  
But somehow, they had both fooled themselves into thinking he still had feelings for her. And now their sad little charade had crumbled. It was pretty hard to swallow. Actually hearing him say all those things cut a lot deeper than she would have imagined it would.   
  
  
  
Suddenly, her cell phone rang. Nina hesitantly answered it.  
  
  
  
"Yes?"  
  
  
  
"It's me."   
  
  
  
"Oh, remembered a few more things you'd like to tell me?"  
  
  
  
She could hear him sigh on the other end.  
  
  
  
"I'm not going to apologize for being honest." His gravelly voice was laced with anger.  
  
  
  
"Fine. Then why are you calling?"  
  
  
  
"The doctor just called back. He can fit us in today at noon for your first appointment."  
  
  
  
"Oh, goody."  
  
  
  
"I'll pick you up at 11:30."  
  
  
  
"Oh, but that's two hours from now. I miss you so much." Nina said monotonously, rolling her eyes.  
  
  
  
"Well, you're just going to have to wait until then." Jack said sarcastically.  
  
  
  
Nina blinked. Jack wasn't usually sarcastic. Scratch that- Jack was never sarcastic.  
  
  
  
"Well, well, look who got a sense of humor. Or at least an attempt at one."  
  
  
  
"I have to go."  
  
  
  
"That's a real shame."  
  
  
  
"I'll see you at 11:30."  
  
  
  
"Fantastic." Nina hung up the phone, throwing it to the other side of the couch.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Jack hung up his cell phone, looking up at Michelle, who had just walked into the hallway he thought he had been inconspicuously hiding in.  
  
  
  
"Hey, Jack." She smiled a little nervously, perching on the edge of the desk.  
  
  
  
"Something I can help you with?" Jack looked up at her ingenuously.  
  
  
  
"Who was that?" She motioned to his phone.  
  
  
  
"Division."  
  
  
  
"What'd they want?"  
  
  
  
"Don't worry about it." Jack shrugged, starting to walk away.  
  
  
  
"It was her, wasn't it?" Michelle suddenly said.  
  
  
  
Jack froze, his entire body rigid.   
  
  
  
"I thought so." Michelle walked up to him, crossing her arms.  
  
  
  
"Michelle, this isn't any of your business."  
  
  
  
"I think it is."  
  
  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
  
  
"You're harboring a fugitive. That's a federal offense. I'm a federal agent. I'd say that makes it my business."  
  
  
  
Jack sighed heavily, and then suddenly moved towards her, his mouth inches from her ear.  
  
  
  
"Just leave it alone." He whispered.  
  
  
  
"Why should I?" Michelle said defiantly.  
  
  
  
"I like you, Michelle. You seem nice enough. I don't want there to be any bad blood between us," he moved even closer, his voice lowering to a gravelly whisper, "You don't want me as an enemy."  
  
  
  
"Everyone else might be afraid of you, Jack. I'm not." She stepped away from him, trying to keep her voice steady.   
  
  
  
"That's very naïve of you." Jack patted her condescendingly on the shoulder, giving her one last look and walking away.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Jack began to walk out of the office towards his car at 11:15.   
  
  
  
"Dad!"   
  
  
  
"Hey, sweetheart." Jack turned around hesitantly.  
  
  
  
"Hey, where are you going?"  
  
  
  
"Lunch break."  
  
  
  
"Oh, I'm starving too. Can I come?"  
  
  
  
Jack racked his brain for some kind of excuse.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, Chase walked up as well.  
  
  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
  
  
"Lunch break. Want to come?" Kim smiled affectionately at him.  
  
  
  
"You two go ahead." Jack said, seeing a solution.  
  
  
  
"But I haven't talked to you all week." Kim pouted.  
  
  
  
"I know that, sweetheart, how about we go out to dinner Thursday? I've got to be in and out today, Tony needs me on something." Jack said, praying she'd buy it.  
  
  
  
Kim's face broke into a wide, innocent smile.  
  
  
  
"Of course, Dad. Thursday sounds great."  
  
  
  
"Okay." Jack smiled, walking off quickly.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
When Jack walked back into the apartment, all the lights were off and Nina was asleep on the couch, propped up on pillows and in his CTU sweats.  
  
  
  
Jack sighed. She was so passive-aggressive. Well, for that matter, she was also just aggressive-aggressive. He had told her when he was coming, so of course she was conveniently asleep.   
  
  
  
He set down his briefcase, walking over to the couch.  
  
  
  
"Nina, wake up." He said.  
  
  
  
She didn't even stir. She had always been a heavy sleeper. Jack always had to practically pour a bucket of water on her to wake her up before work.  
  
  
  
"Come on." He knelt reluctantly beside her, prodding her shoulder.  
  
  
  
Still nothing.  
  
  
  
"Nina!" He said more loudly, shaking her slightly.  
  
  
  
Her eyes opened slightly, still not completely aware. She looked up at him.  
  
  
  
Jack opened his mouth to say "Finally", when she suddenly took his face in her hands, pulling him to her and kissing him deeply. Jack, confused and shocked, kissed her back. Her mouth parted willingly under his, grabbing his collar to pull him down farther. Jack breathed in her scent, her hair wet and her skin damp from a recent shower. He felt the same strange heat spreading through him he had felt that night in London.   
  
  
  
After a long, intense moment, it ended.   
  
  
  
"So…I take it you're not mad at me anymore?" Jack said, at a loss.  
  
  
  
Nina looked at him, wide-eyed for a moment. Then she sighed with realization, rolling her eyes.  
  
  
  
"Hardly, Jack."  
  
  
  
"Wait…what?"  
  
  
  
"So I WAS awake. Sorry, Jack- I was having a dream that I'd really rather forget."  
  
  
  
"You lost me."  
  
  
  
"How shocking. Let's go." She said, pushing him off and getting to her feet, exhaling heavily.   
  
  
  
Jack blinked, still reeling slightly.  
  
  
  
"Are you coming?" She looked back at him.  
  
  
  
"Yeah."  
  
~*~  
  
A/N- Review please! Chapter Seventeen to come soon! 


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